Survivor of Australian shark bite says he struck the animal's eye before reaching shore
Mel Ismail, a surfer and firefighter, survived a shark attack at Glenfield Beach on Sept. 14, losing his right leg below the knee after trying to jab the shark’s eye.
On Sept. 14, professional firefighter and surfer Mel Ismail was surfing at Glenfield Beach, west of Geraldton, when a large shark bit off his right leg below the knee. In his first public interview, Ismail described seeing the shark’s eye and trying to press it with his fingers while being pulled under. A subsequent wave pushed him about 66 feet toward the shore, where he encountered surfer Shannan Dunn, who helped him onto a surfboard.
Nearby onlookers improvised a tourniquet from a rope and summoned emergency services, while two teenagers assisted Ismail into Dunn’s vehicle for transport. He reported feeling supported by the crowd and remained hopeful about his recovery. Authorities have not yet identified the shark species, and the incident adds to Australia’s average of two to three fatal shark attacks per year.
Why it matters
The account provides rare insight into a shark-attack survivor’s actions and highlights community response to a life-threatening incident.
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