A 50-year-old man was surfing Sunday at Montana de Oro State Park's Sand Spit Beach when he was suddenly attacked by a great white shark. Witnesses said that the shark measured 8 to 10 feet long.
The incident happened at around 11 a.m. local time. The surfer was later on identified as Kevin Swanson, a resident of Morro Bay, California.
Swanson was dragged under water by a great white shark before he got bitten on the hip. He managed to keep his presence of mind and paddled to shore for safety. He used the leash cord of his surfboard and improvised a tourniquet for his leg as he struggled back to shore.
"From what eyewitnesses said, the shark came up from underneath and hit him," said supervising state park ranger Robert Colligan. "It looked from the evidence that the board took the majority of damage but in the process the shark took a little bit from the right hip."
Upon reaching shore, Swanson received treatment for the injuries from a medic who was visiting the beach on his day off. Later on, he was flown to a local hospital for treatment. So far, his injuries were non-life threatening.
Andrew Walsh said he was also surfing when the attack had occurred and noted that he was around 10 feet away from the victim.
"We're really blessed that he was still able to get himself to shore," said Walsh.
Judging from the size and description of the bite marks on the surfboard, it would indicate that the shark which attacked Swanson was a juvenile great white shark.
"There was no warning at all," said Walsh. "It was absolutely quiet. The shark came straight up out of the depths and got him and took him under the water."
Walsh added that the victim was under the water for some seconds before reappearing on his damaged board.
Though the beach remained open to the public after the attack, Colligan said that there will be signs posted for at least three days to serve as a public warning.
"Mainly to let the public know that they enter the waters at their own risk," said Colligan. "They will remain up for the next few days and pending no other sightings, the posts will come down."
While the great white sharks are common farther north in colder waters, attacks on humans are notably rare. The last one recorded had occurred in 2003 near Avila Beach.
