Father Chases Off Shark That Pulled His 10-Year-Old Son Off A Boat

A ten-year-old boy is recovering in the hospital after a shark ripped him off of a fishing boat about three miles off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. The boy and his father were fishing with two other men when the shark approached their 20-foot vessel.

"The shark leapt out of the water, hit the side of the boat and snapped the rod clean off in the rod holder, grabbed the boy, all in the one swipe... and pulled him into the water," diver Ben Allen told 9News.

The boy's father jumped into the water, and the shark swam off. The boy, who was wearing a life vest, suffered lacerations to his arms and cuts to his chest and head. He was taken to the hospital, where he is recovering in stable condition.

The last time a shark injured somebody off the coast of Tasmania was in 2012. The rest of Australia has seen an uptick in shark attacks over the past few months, with five fatalities so far in 2020.

Photo: Getty Images