A Victorian teenager is lucky to have his foot after it was punctured to the bone by a shark in Portland.
Izaak Johnstone was surfing with mates on Thursday night at Portland off the far south-west coast when they felt something brush up.
The 17-year-old’s mates thought he was joking until he lifted his bloody foot out of the water.
“I felt my foot go down its throat and then it bit me,” Johnstone told 9News.
Despite the wounds and frightening experience, Johnstone believes the shark encounter has somewhat “overhyped”.
“It’s not like I lost my leg or anything, I guess,” he said.
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But the teenager has several bite marks to the bone as a reminder of the attack.
“I could definitely feel it but not as bad as it probably was,” he said.
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“I didn’t realise how bad it was until I got up to the top and started looking at it.”
Johnstone’s friend Nathan Malady said he didn’t believe his friend until he looked at his face.
“He just yells I’ve been bitten by a shark and I didn’t really believe it until I looked at his face,” he told 9News.
“He’s going pale and lifted up his foot and it’s just blood pouring down his foot.”
Johnstone’s mum Frances got the call but even she was relatively calm.
“I didn’t feel too too freaked out so much really because I knew they would be in good hands,” she said.
He underwent surgery this morning and is back on his feet with the help of some crutches.
Johnstone said once his foot heals, he intends to get back in the water.
