An Australian coastguard spokesman said, “We don’t recommend manhandling sharks but this gentleman did a great job.”
A Welsh man vacationing in Australia with his family is being hailed a hero for wrestling a shark away from a group of toddlers at the beach. 62-year-old Paul Marshallsea from Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, heard the alarm, but when he saw the shark heading straight toward the shallows where the toddlers were splashing he “sprinted toward the water and lunged at the shark.” According to Time.com, Marshallsea grabbed the 6.5 foot long dusky shark by the tail and “shoved the bewildered beast out to sea.”
Marshallsea, who was almost bit by the shark himself, told a reporter for the BBC,
Where this shark actually came ashore, it is shallow for about five or six yards, and a lot of babies and toddlers splash about there – it could have been very nasty … My instincts took over and I just grabbed the shark by the tail … I know it was dangerous but it almost looked beautiful – you have got to have respect for a beautiful animal.
The dramatic scene, which was caught on camera by an Australian news crew that happened to be filming in the area, can be seen here.
It’s a shame when tourists harass the local wildlife. He could be fined for that, you know. : – )
More importantly….is there a clearer picture of him so the internet can promptly turn him into a new meme. Because let’s get real here this guy actually fought a shark, how can that not become a meme?
This is how people get bitten, so he may have saved them or he may have just increased the risk of attack on someone (himself) considerably. Usually the lifeguards use the jetskis to scare them away.