Shark attack survivor films bloody aftermath. Video / Supplied
An Italian tourist who lost his leg to a “monster” shark off an Australian beach said he did not believe he would survive the attack.
Matteo Mariotti, 20, from Parma, was snorkelling at 1770 Beach in Queensland last Friday when he was attacked - and immediatelystarted filming.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” he said.
“I never thought I’d survive that monster.”
The marine biology student told Italian newspaper Gazetta di Parma that he went to the beach to clear his head after learning his grandfather had died.
“I needed to relax and I thought about taking a swim not far from the shore, but after a few steps in the water, I felt a terrible pain in a foot,” he said.
The shark soon had his whole leg in its mouth and began to pull him away from the shore as he struggled to free himself, eventually managing to widen the animal’s mouth enough to get loose “even though from the knee down I could tell there was nothing left”.
Matteo Mariotti struggled back to shore. Photo / Matteo Mariotti
Matteo Mariotti's injuries were severe. Photo / Matteo Mariotti
His video shows his frantic swim back to shore “screaming with fear” as he awaited the shark’s return.
He has been inundated with messages of support since the tragedy and thanked his well-wishers.
“You are my heroes, you give me strength to carry on with your texts and calls, my only dream is to see you again,” he wrote.
Matteo Mariotti. Photo / GoFundMe
Mariotti’s father Michele told La Repubblica he was on his way to Australia.
“We hope it will be possible to save his left knee,” he said.
“I will be close to him for the time necessary for treatment in Australia, I think it will take more than a month, then we will return to Italy and here we will carry out everything possible so that he can recover.”
