A Romanian fisherman experienced a traumatic incident when he lost part of his calf due to a bite from a blue shark while aboard a fishing boat off the coast of Ireland. Fortunately, he survived thanks to the swift intervention of the Coast Guard, according to reports.
The man, Sebastian Achim, was bitten on Tuesday near Waterford while he and his companions were bringing in a shark they had caught.
“We managed to pull the hook out easily… I was at least half a meter away from its tail, just admiring the fish when it jumped in a split second and grabbed my leg,” Achim recounted to RTÉ.
“The Fish Was Right”
Reflecting on the encounter, Achim said, “I can’t say if it was intentional or not. Either way, the fish was right.” After catching the shark, Achim threw it back into the water to avoid causing it further panic.
Upon realizing the severity of his injury, Achim tied a rope around his leg to stem the bleeding. He lost consciousness about ten minutes later.
“I thought the guys would take me to shore, which was about three hours away. So yes, I thought I wouldn’t survive. But then I woke up again,” he shared.
His friends had already called for help.
“I lost consciousness due to blood loss and woke up when the helicopter was above the boat,” Achim continued.
“I’m Missing Some Tissue”
He expressed doubt that he would have made it to shore alive without being airlifted.
While at the hospital, Achim stated he was more concerned about his loved ones than his own health. He will require reconstructive surgery to repair his leg.
“They told me they need to see what needs to be reconstructed. I’m missing some tissue. The shark managed to keep it. It bit off a piece of skin and tissue that it kept,” he explained.
Dr. Nicholas Payne, a marine biologist and associate professor at Trinity College Dublin, noted that incidents like this are “very rare” but that many blue sharks are present in Irish waters at this time of year.
While blue sharks are not aggressive, Payne emphasized that they are a relatively common encounter for fishermen and that caution is essential when bringing one aboard a boat. “They are large animals with big teeth, and you need to be very, very careful in handling them; experience is crucial, or it could turn into a dangerous situation,” he warned.
