A shark has chomped a huge chunk from a man’s leg after it attacked him while he was swimming in a river.
Hitesh Govari didn’t notice the beast in the shallow water during his daily dip.
The 4ft long bull shark locked its jaws on the 34-year-old fishermen’s leg.
He managed to fight off the huge predator but then lost consciousness.
Hitesh’s upper leg was only connected to the ankle by a slither of shattered bones and remaining muscles.
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He was rushed to hospital and survived but needs to have his leg amputated.
Govari was attacked in the Vaitarna River, Maharashtra, India.
Bull sharks can survive in freshwater for long periods of time.
His brother Umesh said: “My brother would go swimming every evening.
“The river is connected to the open sea and seawater meets with the river twice a day during high tide.
“The shark might have entered the shallow water during high tide.
“We rushed to the spot and saw my brother bleeding inside the river.
“He was fished out immediately, and we noticed that his calf muscle had been ripped off.
“After he collapsed in the river, the shark tried to attack him again, but fishermen came to help, they caught the shark and later it died.”
He added: “I removed my shirt and picked up another one that my brother had kept aside and wrapped up the wound with them to stop blood loss and rushed him to the hospital.”
The authorities seized the dead shark for further investigation.
Police spokesperson Satish Shivarkar said: “He was bitten by a 4ft long shark at 6.30pm on 13 February.
“He belongs to a tribal community and lives with his family in Manor Dongar Village in Palghar district.
“His left leg got bitten off by almost a 4inch deep wound.
“We have learned that his injured leg needs to be amputated below the knee.”
After the victim was admitted to the Shri Vinoba Bhave Civil Hospital in Silvassa, a spokesperson confirmed that Govari’s leg will need to be amputated.
His doctor said: “He is out of danger now. His left leg, which got injured in the shark attack, needs to be amputated. We will operate on Thursday.”
The victim lives with his parents, wife, two children, and siblings.
Marine researcher Bhushan Bhoir said it was the “first recorded shark attack in the history of local fishing.”
The expert added: “The bull shark, known for its adaptability to fresh and marine water, showcased a remarkable ability to resist osmosis, a process vital for survival in varying environments.”
An investigation into the shark attack is ongoing.
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