73-year-old fisherman in Australia injured by shark that jumped into his boat

A 73-year-old Australian fisherman was injured when a great white shark leapt into his boat on May 28, 2017. PHOTO: AFP/GENEVIEVE FRANCIS

A great white shark jumped into a man's boat and scraped skin off his arm in Australia, ABC reported.

Mr Terry Selwood, 73, was fishing offshore at Evans Head on the New South Wales north coast when the shark leapt into his boat.

The 2.7m shark, which weighed about 200kg, was a blur as it came over the boat. It hit him so hard on his forearm that the skin came off and he was knocked off his feet.

"He came right over the top of the motor and then dropped onto the floor," Mr Selwood told ABC.

Mr Selwood's boat was only 4.5m long and 1.4m wide - and he was face to face with the shark.

"There I was on all fours and he's looking at me and I'm looking at him and then he started to do the dance around and shake and I couldn't get out quick enough onto the gunnel," Mr Selwood said.

He called for help from marine rescue volunteers immediately.

They sent out a boat to rescue Mr Selwood first, then went out a second time to retrieve the boat and the shark.

Mr Selwood said there was no reason that he could see for the shark to breach the surface of the water.

The water was calm, and there were no surface fish.

"I was using two little bits of blue pilchard to fish for snapper on the bottom of the ocean, but that line was straight under the boat, not out the back where he came from,"he said.

He suffered broken skin and a very swollen arm, but is not otherwise injured.

The shark was a great white, a representative from the Department of Primary Industries told Mr Selwood.

This was the first time he had encountered something like this in 60 years of fishing, but it will not stop him from going out to sea again.

"It won't deter me from fishing, no way in the world," he said.

Great white shark attacks have increased in Australia as bait fish move closer to the shore.

A 17-year-old girl died after being mauled by a shark near Wylie Bay in Western Australia this April.

Last December, a veteran surfer escaped with foot and arm injuries after a great white shark rammed his board and dragged him underwater off the New South Wales coast.

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