Gladstone freediving champion John Pengelly is in a stable condition in Royal Brisbane Hospital after being bitten by a three metre bull shark while diving at Lamont Reef early yesterday morning.
The 19-year-old suffered deep lacerations to his wrist and lower forearm while spearfishing at the reef, 44 nautical miles east of Gladstone.
After receiving treatment from medical staff on Heron Island he was flown to Rockhampton and airlifted to Brisbane for surgical assessment.
Diving with fellow Curtis Coast Spearfishing members David Jenson and Nat Keene, it was their first dive of the day when the shark came from below and bit Mr Pengelly.
“There were two guys together and to the shark they probably looked like a turtle,” said Mark Brookes, president of Curtis Coast Spearfishing club, who was also diving at the time.
Source: Miranda Cashin, Brisbane Times