Kai McKenzie, 23, injured in shark attack at North Shore Beach, near Port Macquarie
A young surfer has lost his leg after being attacked by a three-metre shark during a horror attack at a remote beach.
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A young surfer has lost his leg after being attacked by a three-metre shark during a horror attack at a remote beach.
Bonny Hills surfer Kai McKenzie, 23, was attacked on Tuesday morning off the isolated North Shore Beach, just north of Port Macquarie.
He was attacked on a remote Mid-North Coast beach before being saved by an off-duty cop had only recently returned to the water after fracturing his neck.
7News reports he saw the shark approach and was able to fight it off, but his right leg was severed in the attack.
Mr McKenzie was rushed to Port Macquarie Base Hospital with serious leg injuries by NSW Ambulance paramedics for treatment.
In a shocking twist, the incident occurred just months after Mr McKenzie had resumed surfing following a neck fracture.
“So happy to be back surfing after having a fractured neck,” Mr McKenzie posted on Instagram in January.
Members of the public, including the cop and a fellow surfer, raced to his aid after he was out of the water.
NSW Ambulance Service Hastings South duty manager Kirran Mowbray confirmed the officer used his dog’s lead as a tourniquet to stem severe blood loss.
The surfer was in a critical but stable condition in the hospital about 2.30pm.
The surfer’s board shaper Luke Short told this masthead Mr McKenzie is a “true champ and a legendary fella” and “we wish him the best in his recovery”.
Mr McKenzie is an accomplished surfer, sponsored by well-known brands Rage, Luke Short Designs (LSD) and Worship Supplies.
“Lifeguards from Town Beach responded to a serious shark attack at around 11am this morning at North Shore Beach, where some members of public and a fellow surfer were rendering assistance by using makeshift tourniquets,” a Port Macquarie Hastings Australian Lifeguard Service spokesperson said.
The spokesperson confirmed nearby beaches would remain closed for at least 24 hours.
Ferry operator Lee Horne told this masthead he believed Mr McKenzie and his friend took the ferry over the Hastings River to the beach.
He said the young men were “regulars” on the service and appeared cheerful.
Mr Horne was the first to applaud the off-duty cop, opining had it not been for him the surfer would have lost his life on the sand.
Local Kevin Young - the father of Zac Young, 19, who was killed by a tiger shark in 2013 - was on the scene and said he was there to help in any way he could.
The incident comes nearly a year on from surfer Toby Begg, 44, suffering catastrophic injuries after an attack by a four-metre great white shark a few kilometres south at Tacking Point.
Begg, lucky to survive, suffered extensive injuries from his hip to his calf and lower legs.
Mr Begg lost his lower right leg and has limited use of his left leg after multiple surgeries and a lengthy stay in hospital.
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