Man punches attacking shark

2006-11-17 11:43

Norman Silke

East London - A kind-hearted Samaritan had to take on a shark while he was trying to help a young angler, who was struggling to reel in his catch.

Richard Tebbutt, 45, was on the Nahoon River last Thursday when he came to blows with a Zambezi shark.

Tebbutt told Die Burger he was on his surfski when he saw a boy struggling to land his catch, a "large fish".

Tebbutt said he rowed closer and offered to help, which was gratefully accepted by the young angler.

"The boy did not have a gaff to hook his catch and I decided to jump into the water.

"I saw the tail and thought it might be a ragged tooth shark," he explained.

Tebbutt's son was rowing behind him on a two-seater surfski, and warned his father when the line broke.

The fisherman's friend dived down and grabbed the shark by its tail.

'Jaws wide open'

When the big fish shook itself loose, Tebbutt realised he was in serious trouble.

"He bore down on me with his jaws wide open, and I lifted my left forearm to protect myself.

"When I felt him bite, I gave him three quick rights to the nose and jaws," Tebbutt said.

The shark turned around for a second and his bloodied opponent, who was swimming near the riverbank, took his chance to leave the water before round two.

Tebbutt said his friend Andrew Carter, who surfed for South Africa in 1986, rushed him to hospital, where he needed 50 stitches on his forearm.

It must have been déjà vu for Carter, who nearly lost his life to a great white 12 years ago.

- Die Burger