Teenage surfers Levi Luttrell, Joseph Richards recall Bargara shark bite rescue

The surfers who helped a young Bargara shark bite victim to shore have revealed the harrowing moment they first heard the cries for help.

The surfers who played a role in getting a young Bargara shark bite victim to shore have spoken about the harrowing moment they first heard the calls for help.

Levi Luttrell, 16 and his mate Joseph Richards, 17, were surfing at a popular local spot on Nielsen Park Beach, Bargara last Friday afternoon, March 15, when they noticed two young swimmers heading out past their fellow surfers.

The young surfers were concerned at how far the girls were swimming out but then refocused on the waves.

A few moments later, however, their surf came to an abrupt end when they heard screams and noticed the young swimmers flailing in the water.

“We just saw them panicking, splashing, yelling out and swimming in as fast as they could so that’s when we paddled out,” Levi said.

Levi and Joseph quickly kicked into action, paddling out to meet the swimmers who they assumed might have been stung by jellyfish before one of the swimmers screamed the word “shark”.

“They both grabbed onto my board, I didn’t know who they were, what happened, I didn’t know if it was an actual shark or not because I was expecting a limb gone,” Joseph said.

“I saw no blood, I saw nothing, so I thought a shark might have brushed past them.”

Joseph helped one of the swimmers onto his board, and quickly paddled her into shore while her friend swam in beside the surfers.

After helping the swimmer to shore, Joseph said he was still unconvinced a shark had taken a bite of the 13-year-old girl until she began to dry off and blood began to stream from puncture holes in her one-piece.

Surfers Joseph Richards (left) and Levi Luttrell (right) recall the moment a young shark bite victim called out for help.

“I just picked up my board and I looked over at her and she’s just got hole marks in her one-piece and a few gouges under her butt cheek and then the blood started pouring,” Joseph said.

Acting quickly, Joseph hoped to get someone’s attention and access to a phone to call the ambulance.

Levi stayed behind with the young swimmers and recalled the large size of the bite, which on the teenager ran from the middle of her rib cage to her upper thigh.

The swimmer also received treatment from the surf lifesavers.

The boys agreed the shark did not have malicious intentions and may have been curious.

They said in the 18 months they had been surfing in the area they had never encountered a shark, but said the young swimmers had gone out “concerningly far”.

Levi and Joseph were back surfing at Nielsen Park Beach on Monday afternoon.

When asked if they considered themselves heroes for the role they played in getting the 13-year-old shark bite victim to shore and into the hands of ambulance services, the humble teens said “no”.

Originally published as Teenage surfers Levi Luttrell, Joseph Richards recall Bargara shark bite rescue