Surfer Mick Fanning faced a shark attack Sunday morning while participating at the J-Bay Open surfing competition off the eastern cape of South Africa.
Although Mick managed to leave the attack unscathed, the event has been put on hold until further notice because of the danger that another shark attack could take place.
Fanning’s encounter was caught on video by the local sports news crews taping the event. You can watch the shark attack take place in the video below.
Shark at #JBayOpen . Thankfully, Mick Fanning is unharmed. https://t.co/Y20L1PpTMD
— #JBayOpen (@wsl) July 19, 2015
After the shark attack, Mick delivered a post-altercation interview, where he is obviously still a little bit shaken by the close call.
“I was just sitting there… and I felt something just get stuck in my leg rope, and I instantly just jumped away and it kept coming at my board and I was kicking and screaming… I just saw fins. I didn’t see teeth. I was waiting for the teeth… I punched it in the back.”
On average, there are about 16 shark attacks in the United States every year, though these rarely prove fatal. The Inquisitr previously reported that bees, wasps, and snakes are responsible for more fatalities than sharks.
You can watch the reactions of other competitors and witnesses to the Mick Fanning shark attack on the J-Bay Open live channel — currently streaming live .
[Image via Twitter]
