Kai McKenzie, 23, was attacked by a three-metre-long great white shark at North Shore Beach at Port Macquarie yesterday morning.
Witnesses said they saw the pro surfer furiously paddling to shore before the shark smashed into the back of his board and dragged him under the waves.
It’s understood that his right leg was completely severed from his body and washed up on the beach an hour after the attack before it was placed on ice and taken to hospital to be reattached.
McKenzie was first taken to Macquarie base hospital and was flown to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle last night, with his leg making the same 200km journey.
The leg was seen being carried into the hospital in a polystyrene box.
Doctors will now have to assess whether the leg can be reattached as McKenzie faces a number of complex operations.
The surf community has rallied around the victim and says they will support him in his recovery.
”We’re there to support him, he’s a great young man, and well do whatever we can to support him and his family through this ordeal,” Surf Instructor Wayne Hudson said.
“We’re just hoping he’s getting the best medical treatment he can…and [we] look forward to seeing him when he comes home.”
It was reported yesterday that an off-duty police officer walking his dog nearby saw the surfer on the shore and rushed to McKenzie’s side.
He then used his dog’s leash as a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding on what was left of the surfer’s leg.
DPIRD confirmed yesterday afternoon that a three-metre-long great white shark bit the 23-year-old.
An image of the surfer’s board showed a chunk taken out of the tail.
