A young surf ski paddler competing off a South Australian beach had a lucky escape after a Great White shark tore off a chunk off his ski, throwing him into the sea.
Nat Drummond, 19, was only one kilometre into his race starting from Seacliff Surf Lifesaving Club, south of Adelaide, at about 11.30am when his craft was hit by a large shark from below the water,
After the shark bit through the ski, close to where he was sitting, Drummond was thrown into the water.
READ MORE: Warning of 'very dangerous' 48 hours ahead for flood-hit NSW
"My ski just kind of lifted above the water and then next thing I knew I was in the air and then I was in the water," he told 9News.
Luckily, Drummond was able to swim away uninjured towards other surf skiers before he was plucked from the waters by an Inflatable Rescue Boat crewed by patrolling life savers.
He was taken to shore and checked over, but emerged from the ordeal uninjured.
READ MORE: Bizarre item washes up on Queensland beach
Drummond said he had been lucky he was able to reach a nearby boat.
"I just ripped my leg rope (attached to the surf ski) off and I swam towards these guys here who were paddling towards me, and then just jumped onto their craft and pulled me out of the water to safety.
"It was an absolute freak accident. One of those one-in-a-million things that happened.
"I might go and buy a lottery ticket."
Photos show the shark left a big hole in Drummond's surf ski, but he said he didn't want the incident to deter beachgoers from the water.
"We were out in pretty deep waters, this shouldn't put other people off," he said.
Pieces from his damaged surf ski were picked up along the beach. Surf lifesavers immediately launched patrols for the shark, believed to a Great White about three metres long.
Several kilometres of beach surrounding Seacliff will remain closed for the rest of the day.
Surf life savers will discuss with South Australia police when it's safe for it to reopen.
