FRIGHTENED -- 28 July 2006 -- Fish Hoek, Cape Town, South Africa -- lifeguard’s surf-ski attacked

Lyle Maasdorp, 19, was paddling his surf-ski past Fish Hoek Point at Sunny Cove, False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, after launching from Fish Hoek beach when a shark attacked and bit the back end of his surf ski.

The attack took place on Friday 28 July (time of attack not reported). According to the report on News24 Allison Kock of the shark-working group interviewed Lyle and investigated the bite marks on the surf-ski and estimated that the shark was a great white, approximately 3.5m to 4m in length.

According to the report Lyle said he felt the back of his surf-ski lifting out of the water and he heard a crunching sound. He fell off his surf-ski and realised it was a shark when his hand landed on the shark’s back. He stayed with his surf-ski and then abandoned it after a another paddler helped him onto the back of his surf-ski and paddled him to nearby rocks where they got out of the water.

Lyle was shaken but uninjured.

Source: News24