A surfer injured in a shark attack off of Crowdy Head, New South Wales, is recovering after 5 hours of surgery, according to The Telegraph. Dave Pearson suffered injuries to his arm and forehead after being bitten by a shark while surfing around dusk on Tuesday evening.
Fellow surfer and friend, Aaron Wallis, helped Pearson to shore after the attack happened. Wallis used the a surfboard leash as a makeshift tourniquet, and Crowdy Head surf club caretaker, Adam Eady, administered oxygen to Pearson, while they waited for emergency medical help to arrive.
Pearson’s wife told Australia’s Ten News, he was able to move his fingers as of yesterday. Eady told Ten News that the attack “won’t stop” Pearson and that he would be back in the water.
Australian shark scientists are investigating the injuries to Pearson, as well as bite marks on his surfboard, to determine the species and size of the shark involved.