Man tells of escape from jaws of shark

A NORTH Queensland spearfisherman has spoken about his miraculous survival after a shark attack.

Glenn Dickson was fishing with his mates, Rick Bettua, a former navy master diver, Peter Kosica and Aaron Butler, near Port Hinchinbrook on February 17, when he was bitten by a 3.5m bull shark.

“I felt a massive pull and shake, and I knew I was being attacked,” Glenn told 60 Minutes’ Peter Stefanovic in an exclusive interview.

“It was kind of slow motion as I watched blood rise ... the image is imprinted in my head ... I remember watching the shark through my blood.”

Rick, Peter and Aaron knew before they looked what had happened: less than a minute earlier Peter had emerged from the water having seen the huge shark, but they were briefly separated from Glenn. What they saw was horrific. “The water was bright red and he was trying to climb his way up a rock face,” Rick says. Glenn should have died. They were 40km from land in a small boat. Another 180km from the nearest hospital.

Along the way, Glenn “died” six times, Rick estimates. It came down to seconds. With the marina in sight they still thought they’d lost him.

A lone paramedic joined the rescue effort until the rescue chopper arrived.

They amputated his leg the next day. He says it was fine, in exchange for his life.

Two months on, 60 Minutes reveals there are more battles ahead.

Rehabilitation has begun. Centrelink’s rejection of a disability pension was “a kick in the guts” but again, his mates have stepped up. He’s determined to walk again, to take Jessie- Lee down the aisle.

“Everything I took for granted, now I have a moment and think ‘ I’m lucky to be able to do this again’,” he says. “So life’s great.”