A surfer from Uruguay has had a harrowing encounter with a shark at a secluded Australian beach.
Alejo Santiñaque, from Uruguay, has described his encounter where the predator seized him and pulled him beneath the waves.
The 20-year-old was waiting for a wave on his surfboard near Red Cliff, located on the New South Wales north coast, approximately 660 kilometres north of Sydney, when he experienced a sudden, powerful impact.
He wrote on social media: "A shark had bitten me. It pulled me into the water, and my immediate response was to kick it as hard as I could to make it let go."
The young surfer said he felt extremely fortunate to have survived the ordeal, in which the shark became entangled in his surfboard leash during the violent struggle.
He said: “Once it let go, I swam as fast as I could back to my board and towards the shore. Those moments were extremely intense because I had no idea if the shark would come back, so my only focus was getting out of the water."
The Uruguayan national described being flooded with adrenaline throughout the terrifying experience, emphasising maintaining composure proved vital to his survival.
He said: "Keeping a clear head was crucial. From the moment I was bitten until I reached the beach, I focused on what I needed to do and avoided panicking."
His companions, who had witnessed the attack unfold from the shoreline, rushed to assist him upon reaching safety.
They applied a tourniquet to stem the bleeding while awaiting emergency services.
Mr Santiñaque was transported to the hospital, where surgeons operated on his foot.
The wound inflicted significant damage, tearing through both skin and muscle tissue.
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One tendon was completely ruptured, whilst several others sustained injuries.
He acknowledged: "Considering what could have happened, I was very lucky. The bite tore through skin and muscle, ruptured one tendon and damaged a few others, but it missed any major arteries. Looking at how serious shark attacks can be, I know I got off lightly."
Mr Santiñaque expressed deep gratitude towards his friends for their swift response and ability to remain calm during such a high-pressure situation.
Despite enduring such a frightening experience, Mr Santiñaque harbours no ill will towards the animal that attacked him.
He recognised the sea belongs to sharks and that anyone entering the water accepts an inherent level of risk.
He said: "Sharks are not villains or monsters. They are wild animals and an essential part of the marine ecosystem. What happened was a very unfortunate accident, but it doesn't change the love and respect I have for the ocean."
His measured response has drawn widespread admiration online, with one commenter writing: "You seem like a great person not blaming the shark and hating it."
Residents have reported recent shark sightings in the area, with the animals apparently feeding on schools of mullet and baitfish.
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