A fisherman was attacked by a shark and dragged off his boat in Everglades National Park, Florida. The incident was captured in a video that has gone viral.
The video graphically shows the man standing close to the water’s edge when a shark unexpectedly leaps out, clamps onto him and pulls him under. As his horrified companions yell in shock, he battles to climb back onto the boat, leaving behind a bloodied streak on the vessel’s side.
Quick action by park rangers resulted in the injured man being swiftly airlifted to a medical facility by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue on Friday, June 23.
Michael Russo, a fishing guide who was aboard the boat at the time of the terrifying incident, posted further details about the encounter on his Instagram account.
Russo recounted that his friend Nick had just released a snook and was washing his hands in the water when a large bull shark suddenly attacked him. Russo stressed that there was no chum or blood in the water that could have provoked the shark’s aggression.
The viral video clearly shows Nick tossing a fish back into the water, then dipping his hands in again. As he stooped a second time, a big gray shark shot out of the water, latched onto his hand, and pulled him into the water, causing his hand to hit the side of the boat.
Details about the severity of Nick’s injuries are yet to be released. Russo, however, confirmed that Nick was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center for treatment.