A British beginner surfer attacked by a shark off the Australian coast said he escaped the predator by punching it in the face – sustaining only superficial injuries.
Charlie Fry, a 25-year-old doctor, hit the shark in the nose after it bit into his shoulder – mimicking a move he had seen done by professional surfer Mick Fanning in a YouTube video.
“When it happened, I was like: ‘Just do what Mick did. Just punch it in the nose,'” Fry told Nine Network television. “So Mick, if you’re watching or listening, I owe you a beer. Thank you very much.”
The video below shows Fanning being attacked by a shark at the J-Bay Open in 2015.
Fry was surfing off Avoca Beach, 60 miles (90km) north of Sydney and fortunately escaped with superficial puncture wounds on his right shoulder and upper arm – which he was not aware of until he reached the shore.
“I didn’t really notice it at the time because when you’re surfing, all I’m thinking was: ‘I’m about to die. I’m literally about to die,'” Fry said. “So I thought … ‘get in as fast as possible, ride the wave for as long as you can and then just start paddling for your life.'”