A young boy was mauled by a shark that leaped out of the water while he was fishing with his father and pulled him into the water.

The horrifying shark attack occurred some three miles off the shore of Stanley in Tasmania, Australia, where a family was fishing on a 20-foot boat.

According to the reports, a shark leaped out of the water and grabbed a 10-year-old boy who got pulled into the water by the beast.

“All of a sudden the shark leapt clean out of the water, hit the side of the boat and snapped the rod clean off in the rod holder,” diver Ben Allen, who witnesses the attack, said in an interview with 9News.

“It grabbed the boy all in the one swipe … and pulled him into the water.”

After the kid got grabbed by the shark, his father, along with two other males, managed to rescue him by jumping into the water and scaring the animal away.

Following the incident, the 10-year-old was rushed to a hospital where he was treated for wounds to his arm, chest, and head. According to the reports, the boy is now in a stable condition.

“The boy, who was wearing a personal flotation device, suffered lacerations to his arm, and other cuts to his chest and head,” confirmed Ambulance Tasmania.

Just moments before the attack occurred, the authorities had issued a warning about shark sightings in the area and urged people to “take necessary precautions.”

“Please be advised there has been a large shark sighted in the Stanley area. If swimming or undertaking fishing and other marine activities please take necessary precautions,” Tasmanian Police warned.

According to the witnesses of the attack, they believe that the shark in question was a Great White. However, these claims have not yet been verified.

 

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