Man Rescued in Australia After Shark Attacks Kayak

A man was rescued off a coast in Australia after a shark bit his kayak. The man was left sinking in when a police boat came to his aid.

Quick thinking saved the man's life who was able to make an emergency phone call after his kayak was heavily damaged by a deadly shark. The incident happened last Sunday, April 2, at Moreton Bay off the coast of Brisbane.

The 39-year-old man was attacked from only eight meters (five miles) away from the shore. He was paddling with eight of his friends when the shark attack occurred. Despite the attack, the man was fortunate to have escaped the deadly shark.

After the distress call, Brisbane Water Police responded rapidly to rescue the man. The team swiftly tracked the man's location by seeking the help of airplanes passing above the water and landing at the nearby Brisbane Airport.

Due to the fast response, the man was successfully rescued on Sunday afternoon as well as his damaged 5.6-meter, 21-foot kayak. The shark bite was able to dislodge its stern.

"The man was uninjured, although quite shaken and glad to be out of the water," Police Sgt. Gordon Thiry said in a statement. The police lauded the man's decision-making skills that his quick response on the situation resulted in a favorable outcome.

Because of the incident, the police deemed it necessary to issue warnings and instructions for tourists heading out to the sea. It is advised to wear a life jacket and a special device called the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), which would help for easier location tracking during emergency cases.

In 2016, there were 26 shark attacks recorded in Australia according to the Australia Shark Attack File Annual Report Summary 2016 conducted by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

Based on the report, there were two fatal attacks, 16 persons were injured while eight people were unharmed in all shark attacks in Australia in 2016.