Oz snorkeller grabs white shark’s tail to save teenager
By ANISunday, October 31, 2010
MELBOURNE - An Oz snorkeller became a hero when he pulled the tail of a great white shark that was attacking a teenage girl.
While leading a swim-with-the-dolphins tour south of Perth, Elyse Frankcom was bit into her hip and left buttock by a 3m shark.
The snorkeller who saved Frankcom declined reveal his identity. “All I want is the girl to be OK.” he said.
“Elyse is in high spirits. She should be OK,” the Courier Mail quoted Frankcom’s sister, Samantha, as telling the Sunday Times.
“She loves the water. This won’t scare her away. She will definitely go back. It’s been a passion for her since she was a child,” she said.
Frank Pisani, skipper for Fremantle Sea Rescue, said that the shark attack could have been fatal if not for the quick thinking of one of Frankcom’s tour group.
“As the shark bit her, it brushed aside a fairly large male who grabbed hold of the tail of the shark, which then made it let go,” said Pisani.
“The girl then started to sink to the bottom and he grabbed her and brought her to the surface and got her back on board the boat. He certainly was instrumental in making this a good outcome,” he said.
Aaron Heath of Rockingham Wild Encounters said the actions of Frankcom’s rescuer were nothing short of amazing. (ANI)
