A boy bitten by a shark while learning to surf is now recovering at home after the terrifying experience.
James Sweetman, 12, was with a friend at a surf academy at Cape Burney Beach, south of Geraldton, in Western Australia’s midwest, on Sunday morning.
He had been walking through the water when he stepped on the meter-long shark lurking below.
She felt it move before the unknown species of shark lunged for the back of her thigh.
The shark initially refused to let go as a terrified James tried to swim back to shore.
Beachgoers rushed to the boy’s aid before he was rushed to the Geraldton Health Campus.
Miraculously, James did not need stitches and was released from the hospital hours later.
James Sweetman (pictured) narrowly escaped injury after being bitten by a metre-long shark off Cape Burney beach on Sunday.
Dad Ray said James handled the situation “like an absolute trooper” and left the hospital smiling.
“I don’t think he panicked too much, he handled it very well on the beach,” Mr Sweetman said. PerthNow.
While James was calm during the attack, Sweetman said her son was still in shock when they arrived at the hospital.
“The emergency was great, the hospital ladies dressed him very well,” he said.
City of Greater Geraldton rangers closed Cape Burney Beach to the public for the remainder of the day Sunday.
Miraculously, James didn’t need stitches for the bite.
The beach was reopened on Monday, but beachgoers were reminded to use caution.
A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development said they were trying to identify the species of shark.
The incident was one of two shark sightings recorded in Geraldton over the weekend, according to the WA Government’s SharkSmart app.
The other was a three-meter-long hammerhead shark.