AN Australian surfer who had his leg ripped off by a great white shark had to be airlifted to hospital after his leg washed up on shore.
Kai McKenzie, 23, was confronted by the predator at North Shore Beach, Port Macquarie, at 11am on Tuesday when it attacked him.
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The bite was so strong that the professional surfer’s leg ended up on the shore, causing severe blood loss.
The shark even took a chunk out of Kai’s surfboard.
Despite losing a leg, Kai managed to make it back to shore, where an off-duty police officer used his dog’s collar as a makeshift tourniquet.
The ambulance crew claims the brave surfer tried to fight the giant shark, without success.
Kirran Mowbray, from the New South Wales (NSW) Ambulance Service, said the officer’s action “essentially saved Mr McKenzie’s life”.
She said Kai remained “calm” after the traumatic attack and described him as a “brave and courageous young man”.
Spectators covered Kai’s amputated leg with ice, according to Australian newspaper The Daily Telegraph and paramedics were called to the scene shortly.
Ambulance staff took Kai and the deployed member to Port Macquarie Base Hospital before he was flown to a major trauma center more than 190 kilometers away.
The beach on the North Coast is isolated and accessible only by dirt road.
The Daily Telegraph reported that his leg was ferried across the Hastings River.
Doctors at John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle, NSW, described his condition as “critical but stable” and said he had just had surgery.
It is not yet known whether surgeons successfully reattached the severed limb.
Local biologists suspect that a three-meter-long great white shark was responsible for attacking his right leg.
Authorities reported that a tagged great white shark was detected at several locations around Coffs Harbor on Monday and Tuesday.
The sponsored surfer suffered a serious neck injury and only returned to the sport in January.
Your neighbor Lauren Mac set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his post-operative care and has already surpassed the target of £51.00 (AUD$100,000).
It says: “Kai is currently at John Hunter Hospital where he underwent surgery and is in a stable condition.
“As you can imagine, the upcoming medical expenses for his recovery and rehabilitation are something no one would be prepared for.
“Please reach deep into this family to help with Kai’s recovery and rehabilitation.
“They are a local family with hearts of gold who would never expect or ask anyone for anything.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
