(Newswire.net — July 20, 2015) — The unprecedented attack happened Sunday, during the final of the Association of Surfing Professionals’ J-Bay Open event in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, as Australian professional surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark. The whole incident, “the first in professional surfing competition history” was broadcast live on the television.
Event’s commentators who commented on the attack live, described the shark as a “big tiger shark”. In the video, the shark approaches Fanning from behind as he was paddlling on his board to assume the starting position.
At the moment of attack, Fanning franticly kicked the water behind, then disappeared beneath the wave while spectators feared the worse. The alarm for danger sounds, as commentator urged everybody to get out of the water.
Fanning surfaced fast swimming towards beach, until the lifeguard on scooters picked him up, safe and unhurt.
“I was just about to start moving and then I felt something grab [and] get stuck in my leg rope, and I instantly just jumped away and it just kept coming at my board. I started kicking and screaming,” Fanning told TV crew in an interview after the incident, adding that he didn’t see the teeth, however, he saw the shark’s fin.
Fanning, who luckily escaped without injury, said the shark “punched” him in the back.
“I was waiting for the teeth to come at me as I was swimming,” the three-time world champion said as he described how he felt during the attack. Fanning said he kicked the shark once before rescue teams approached.
Another Australian surfer, Julian Wilson, who was competing against Fanning, described the incident from his perspective.
“It [the shark] came up and he was wrestling it, and I saw he got knocked off his board,” Wilson said adding that he desperately tried to help fellow surfer.
“I was like – I’ve got a board, if I can get there I can stab it or whatever, I’ve got a weapon,” Wilson said.
According to World Surf League (WSL) Deputy Commissioner Renato Hickel, there was two sharks in the water when alarm horn sounded. “This is the first time in professional surfing history, no one has experienced a situation like that,” he said.
The organizers decided to call off the final, with the surfers to split the money prize.