The aunt of teenage shark attack victim Zak Golebiowski says it was "very lucky" the New Zealand couple who saved her nephew's life were at the beach and had acted so quickly and professionally.
Mary Tuite told the Herald yesterday that if she had the chance to meet
Amy Worling, 26, and Pete Hickmott, 32, she would thank them.
The Otago couple, who plan to visit Zak this week, wrapped an extension cord around the 15-year-old's stump and rushed him to hospital after a 5m white pointer bit off his right leg below the knee at Wharton Beach in Duke of Orleans Bay, on Western Australia's southern coast, on Saturday.
"It was very lucky they were there and everybody is praising them all up, even my other nephew that helped.
"Everything was done very quickly, swiftly and very professionally. I'm sure [the family] are all very grateful. It's just very hard to comprehend everything," said Ms Tuite, who lives in South Australia.
She said the family were " all going through a pretty hard time".
She said Zak had had an operation and was in a stable condition.
"All I know is that ... he's doing okay ... but it's going to be all pretty tough for him, that's for sure."
She said she had not spoken to her nephew yet.
"It's a big family and they are all there and it's pretty hard so I won't attempt to talk to him for a few weeks."
She said if she had the chance to meet the couple who saved her nephew's life, she would thank them.
"It was just lucky they were there and able to help."
Australia's Department of Fisheries yesterday virtually ruled out capturing or killing the shark responsible for Zak's maiming.
Fisheries incident co-ordinator Tony Cappelluti told the West Australian newspaper: "They're a protected species and unless we're sure the shark has just been involved in an incident or was creating an immediate public threat [we would not kill it]."
The newspaper said the family were negotiating a deal for an exclusive television interview with Zak.
