Man lucky to be alive after he was attacked by a shark near KI

Locals say a surfer is very lucky to be alive after he was bitten by a great white in notorious waters then found by an off-duty ambo.

A local woman looks over D'Estrees Bay after a surfer was attacked by a shark today. Picture: Sean McGowan

A 29-year-old surfer is lucky to be alive after he was attacked by a shark in waters off Kangaroo Island on Sunday afternoon.

The man managed to paddle back to shore after he was bitten by a great white about 2.20pm at D’Estrees Bay before flagging down an off-duty paramedic from Mt Gambier who drove him towards Kingscote.

On-duty paramedics met the men on their way and transported the injured surfer to Kingscote Hospital, before he was flown to Flinders Medical Centre.

He had multiple lacerations to his torso but his injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

Police, with fisheries and the local council erected signs to close D’Estrees Bay beach, and asked members of the public to avoid the area.

A sign left at D'Estrees Bay, Kangaroo Island where a surfer was attacked. Picture: Brad Crane.

Mayor of Kangaroo Island, Michael Pengilly. Picture: Matt Loxton

Senior radio operator and coastguard for Kangaroo Island Carol Miell said D’Estrees Bay was home to schools of sharks, and attractive to surfers but avoided by locals.

“You’re in big boy waters, you’re not in a gulf and there’s plenty of sharks,” she said.

“I wouldn’t put my toe in the water.

“He’s very lucky … I think he got out pretty lightly.”

Kangaroo Island Mayor Michael Pengilly said he was relieved to hear the local surfer survived his experience in an area locals called “the sewer”.

“He’s OK, that’s the good news,” Mr Pengilly said.

“The south coast is very rough waters, itis reefy, there’s a lot of seals and fish, obviously a lot of sharks out there, he was unlucky enough to have an encounter today.

“I’m just grateful that he survived.”

Surf Life Saving South Australia president John Baker said now was the time to look out for sharks.

“Our general advice for safety is not to swim around dawn or dusk as that’s when sharks tend to be more active,” Mr Baker said.

So far this year there has been 33 shark sightings reported to PIRSA, including six in November. A bronze whaler was spotted on November 8 just 200m north of Grange Jetty

It follows a string of recent shark attacks in Queensland.

Rick Bettua, 59, was spearfishing on the Great Barrier Reef in late October when he was mauled by a bull shark.

Nick Slater, a 46-year-old Gold Coast man, tragically died from his injuries in a shark attack at Greenmount Beach in September.