A man miraculously managed to survive a shark attack after part of his leg was chomped off while he was swimming in a river.
It happened to Hitesh Govari, 34, after the 4ft long bull shark locked its jaws around part of his leg in the Vaitarna River, India, on February 13.
Hitesh managed to fight off the animal but soon lost consciousness in the shallow water.
His upper leg was only connected to the ankle by a slither of shattered bones and remaining muscles.
He was rushed to hospital and has survived but will need his leg amputated.
It is thought the shark swam into the shallow part of the river during high tide.
Hitesh’s brother Umesh said: ‘My brother would go swimming every evening.
‘The river is connected to the open sea and seawater meets with the river twice a day during high tide.
‘We rushed to the spot and saw my brother bleeding inside the river.
‘He was fished out immediately, and we noticed that his calf muscle had been ripped off.
‘After he collapsed in the river, the shark tried to attack him again, but fishermen came to help, they caught the shark and later it died.’
‘I removed my shirt and picked up another one that my brother had kept aside and wrapped up the wound with them to stop blood loss and rushed him to the hospital.’
The dead shark has now been seized by authorities for further investigation.
Police spokesperson Satish Shivarkar said: ‘He belongs to a tribal community and lives with his family in Manor Dongar Village in Palghar district.
‘His left leg got bitten off by almost a 4inch deep wound.’
An investigation into the shark attack is ongoing.
Hitesh’s doctor added: ‘He’s out of danger now. We will operate on Thursday.’
Marine researcher Bhushan Bhoir said it was the ‘first recorded shark attack in the history of local fishing’.
He said: ‘The bull shark, known for its adaptability to fresh and marine water, showcased a remarkable ability to resist osmosis, a process vital for survival in varying environments.’
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