A kayaker has relived the moment he was rescued by lifesavers when a 4.5 metre tiger shark knocked him out of his kayak.
Kyle Roberts, 31, had been kayaking off Moffat Beach, near Caloundra, in the early hours of Thursday morning when the shark bit into his vessel, causing it to partially deflate.
Mr Roberts was about 1.5 kilometres off shore and was knocked off his kayak but managed to climb back inside and radio for help
Sunshine Coast man Kyle Roberts (pictured) was rescued by an after-hours emergency response group when a 4.5 metre tiger shark knocked him out of his kayak
He said the monster shark tried to bite him as he got back into the kayak, which had fortunately remained partially afloat thanks to a trapped air bubble at the front.
Coastguards received the call at around 5.45am and it took Surf Life Saving Queensland’s after-hours emergency response group around 35-40 mins to reach him on jet skis.
Once back on dry land, Mr Roberts was assessed by paramedics who said he had no physical injuries but was suffering mild shock symptoms.
Mr Roberts, 31, had been kayaking off Moffat Beach, near Caloundra in the early hours of this morning when the shark bit into his vessel, causing it to partially deflate
Mr Roberts has six years of kayaking experience and had taken all the recommended precautions including bringing a radio with him so he could call for help
‘He was in a state of shock when we got there, as you can understand,’ Surf Life Saving Queensland duty officer David Mclean told 7 news.
‘He was starting to panic a fair bit, especially as the shark began to circle him.’
Mr Roberts has six years of kayaking experience and Mr Mclean said he had taken all the recommended precautions including bringing a radio with him so he could call for help.
Although he had been fishing from the kayak, Mr Mclean said there were no fish nor any blood in the water when the shark struck.
‘There was nothing else to attract any sharks, it just came out of the blue and completely broadsided him,’ he said.
‘I think he’s very lucky to be here.’
Police officers picked up the kayak shortly afterwards – which had drifted roughly 2 kilometres off shore – and shark teeth marks were clearly visible along the bottom
Speaking to The Courier Mail, Mr Roberts said the conditions had been relatively calm and there was ‘zero warning’ of the attack.
‘I have had a very lucky day, that’s for sure,’ Mr Roberts said.
Reiterating this, Queensland Police Sergeant Kyle Bates said: ‘It probably wouldn’t pay for him to buy a lottery ticket – I think he’s used all his luck.’
Police officers picked up the kayak shortly afterwards – which had drifted roughly 2 kilometres off shore – and shark teeth marks were clearly visible along the bottom.
The incident was the seventh attack in Australia in less than two months.