The man who sparked a manhunt after he was thrown from his kayak by a three-metre shark has told how close he came to death before escaping to shore with the beast that nearly killed him.
Brett Palmer, 34, was plunged into the water at Western Port Bay near Melbourne after pulling a shark on board on Saturday evening.
In panic he immediately pulled himself into his brother’s kayak and the pair rushed to dry land, leaving his kayak behind.
Brett Palmer, 34, was plunged into the water at Western Port Bay near Melbourne after pulling a shark on board
In panic he immediately pulled himself into his brother’s kayak and the pair rushed to dry land, leaving his kayak behind. Pictured: Mr Palmer and his brother with the shark
Speaking about the moment he was overthrown, Mr Palmer said: ‘It was really carrying on, jumping out of the water.’
Speaking about the moment he was overthrown, Mr Palmer told 7 News: ‘It was really carrying on, jumping out of the water.’
‘She’s bit the boat and missed me leg and whatever, that was pretty, pretty surreal.’
His brother Luke said he heard him swear and thrash about before hearing a splash as he entered the water.
‘I jumped straight up. My brother’s kayak turned around real quick,’ said Mr Palmer ‘It was just scary, I don’t like sharks.’
The fisherman’s abandoned kayak was found drifting off the coast in Victoria on Sunday morning
The owner failed to report the kayak missing to authorities sparking a search when it was spotted by a vessel
After Mr Palmer hooked the shark he returned to the shore and carried on fishing with his mates.
But when he returned to collect the kayak several hours later it had drifted out to sea and was nowhere to be seen.
This prompted a search after the empty boat was found by another vessel in the Western Port Bay early on Sunday morning.
But police found Mr Palmer safely at home gutting his enormous catch.
A spokesman for Victoria Police said: ‘The shark, obviously unhappy to be caught, has caused the man to be tipped out of his kayak in its effort to get free.
‘He’s managed to get the kayak to shore and continued fishing with his mates.
‘When he’s returned several hours later to collect his kayak, it had gone.
‘A search was commenced to locate the owner of the kayak, who was located safely at home and hadn’t thought to notify authorities of his missing kayak.
‘The man’s fishing gear remained intact and Water Police will return his vessel to him today.’
Police said the vessel and his fishing gear will be returned to him after he was located safely at home