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Dramatic video shows shark attack man and pull him into water

Recreational fisherman pulled into water in the Everglades National Park by shark

Bevan Hurley
Monday 26 June 2023 22:43 BST
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A shark latched onto the arm of a fisherman and pulled him into the water in the Everglades
A shark latched onto the arm of a fisherman and pulled him into the water in the Everglades (TikTok / Michael Russo)

Dramatic footage has emerged appearing to show the moment a shark bites a fisherman before dragging him from a boat in the Florida Everglades.

The video shows a man reach into the water to wash his hands when a partially hidden shark leaps out of the water and chomps into him, causing him to fall into the water.

The man then scrambles to get back into the boat with the help of his shocked friends, who can be heard screaming “Get him, get him”.

The man was treated at the scene by park rangers before being airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel, an Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks official told ABC News in a statement.

Shark attacks were “extremely uncommon” in the Everglades, the spokesperson said.

Michael Russo, who was onboard the boat, shared the footage with Florida’s WPLG Local 10 news station.

In a since-deleted TikTok post, Mr Russo described the shark attack involving a person named Nick.

“Today was one of the scariest days on the water I have ever had,” Mr Russo wrote.

“It started off great and we were crushing the fish but the sharks were eating some, despite our best efforts. After releasing a snook, Nick washed his hands in the water and was immediately bit by a large shark,” he wrote.

“The sharks are no joke in the Everglades and the warnings about keeping your hands out of the water are not an exaggeration,” he added.

An Everglades National Park spokesperson confirmed the video footage matched reports they had received of the shark bite.

The spokesperson told ABC News it was most likely a bull shark.

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