Shark attack 'like being hit by a car'

By ANI
Monday January 7, 04:14 PM
Brisbane, Jan 7 (ANI): Ben Morcom, who was attacked by a two-metre long great white shark just north of Newcastle on 18 Dec07, found that being bitten was 'like being hit by a car'.

Morcom, who is 31-years-old, spoke about his brush with death when he was surfing at Jimmys Beach near Nelson Bay.

The attack took place when Ben was surfing with his cousin Ryan Calder, a few days before Calder was due to get married.

"It all happened very quickly,'' brisbanetimes.com.au reported Mr Morcom as telling New Idea.

"I lay down on my board and began to paddle then suddenly without warning I felt this almighty bang on my right side.

"It was just like being hit by a car,'' he added.

Even though his surfboard bore the impact of the shark's attack, Morcom still suffered severe cuts and deep lacerations.

With a large flap of skin opened up on his right buttock, Mr Morcom made it out of the water to a car park where a fisherman drove him four kilometres to an ambulance station.

From there he was airlifted to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital.

Against doctors' orders he discharged himself early to attend his cousin's wedding preparations. (ANI)