Police have confirmed some of the details in previous reports, describing the victim as a surfer and saying he “sustained puncture wounds to his legs and his hands” in the attack.
Advertisement
Mr Ison’s best friend and fellow surfer Tom Augustine, who missed the attack because he was running late, said: “He punched the shark twice, apparently, and managed to get back on his board and catch a wave in”.
From there, ambulances and emergency services were called to the scene, where they were able to transport the man to the local hospital, Lismore Base Hospital.
Some, including Hill, are calling it a Mick Fanning replay, referencing the shark attack earlier this year where surfer Mick Fanning performed similar stunts.
Hill told the Northern Star newspaper: “We were just paddling out this morning and Craig was 20m ahead of me”.
“Next thing, the shark grabbed him”.
The shark savaged his left leg and arm and catapulted him off his surfboard as horrified surfers looked on.
Shark sightings are a regular occurrence off Australian beaches but attacks are rare.
An Australian surfer punched a shark that attacked him on Friday.
January 2015 – Paul Wilcox killed by a Great White in excess of 3m while swimming about 25m off Clarkes Beach, Byron Bay. As she told The Humane Society: “If a group like us can see the value in saving sharks, everyone should”.
It comes just weeks after world champion Mick Fanning fought off a deadly great white during a competition in South Africa – footage of which went viral.
Images of Mr Ison’s punctured surf board show a large bite mark and a shark expert from the Department of Primary Industries has confirmed the predator was a great white. Fanning was attacked by a shark on Sunday during the JBay Open but escaped without injuries. Reporter Peter Stefanovic followed Fanning on his return to the water at Hastings Point on the Tweed Coast – a move that would take nerves of steel at the best of times. The biologist, who specialises in sharks, believes that Ison was attacked by a Great White shark.
Advertisement
Main Beach, Shark Bay and Chinamans Beach have since been closed.
