Updated 08:33 AM EDT, Fri, Mar 29, 2024

Manhattan Beach Shark Attack Victim Speaks Out on Attack and Fisherman who Hooked Great White

  • +
  • -
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE

On Saturday, an irritated great white shark decided to take his aggressions out on nearby swimmer, Steven Robles. Robles is speaking out about the incident, which was caught on film by a group of fishermen who had the shark entangled on their line.

According to eyewitness accounts, the shark latched onto Robles' torso for two seconds before he was able to fend the shark away by smacking its nose. 

"I could feel the vibration of this entire shark gnawing into my skin," he said. "You could feel the whole body shaking as it's digging into my torso."

Robles was bleeding profusely as fellow swimmers and surfers were able to rush him to shore.

"I really thought that that might be it. I thought I might be dying," he said. "We saw each other. It did a sharp left turn and then it lunged right at me, didn't even hesitate," Robles said.

Robles was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered that a major artery in his thumb had been cut in the attack. The artery "was squirting blood for two and half hours."

After a day spend on morphine, Robles was feeling better physically but still a little sore from the large bite that stretched across his torso.

"The bite mark's like a jellyfish sting that just keeps penetrating deeper and deeper into the bone," Robles said. "It was terrifying."

A fisherman on the Manhattan Beach Pier had been battling with the shark for over 40 minutes, and was still struggling with the shark Robles, along with a group of long-distance swimmers, made their way past.

Witnesses cannot confirm whether or not the fisherman was "chumming" the water, or tossing chopped fish guts and blood into the water hoping that a nearby shark won't be able to resist the smell.

Great white sharks have the greatest sense of smell in the ocean, detecting one drop of blood from distances of more than three miles.    

In an interview with KFI Radio, Robles brought up the issue of responsibility saying that the "fisherman should take a look at my medical bills."

Although the fisherman was clearly negligent, it is still unclear if any laws were broken.

Robles contends that the fisherman should have cut the line once he discovered that he had hooked a great white. A fish that strong is nearly impossible to reel in, especially from the heights of a pier, and fishing for .

Overall Robles is just happy to be alive. He said that he isn't sure if he will be planning anymore long distance swims in open water."My life was just a half a second from ending, and I had to fight for my life," he said. 

© 2015 Latin One. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
  • Sign up to receive the lastest news from LATINONE
Close

Curiosidades

Real Time Analytics