Shark bite ‘accident’

SHARK attack victim Ryan Bowring thinks he jumped on top of a grey reef whaler shark before he was bitten in a “freak accident” in the Whitsundays on the Great Barrier Reef.

The 25-year-old, of Airlie Beach, told how he had only been in the water for 20 seconds to lead a snorkelling tour when he felt the initial “bump and bite” of the 1.5m reef shark.

The first mate of superyacht De Lisle III underwent three hours of surgery to bite wounds on his buttock and hip after Monday’s attack at Block Reef. Mr Bowring said it was a freak accident and nothing “more sinister”.

“I can only assume that when I entered the water I must have come in on top of, or surprised the grey reef shark, causing it to retaliate,’’ Mr Bowring said. He said, contrary to reports, he was not spearfishing or diving and was in about 3m of water.