Angler bitten by shark in Eastern Cape

An angler was bitten by a shark in Port Alfred, in the Eastern Cape, on Saturday morning, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said.

Lionel McDougall, 42, from Port Elizabeth, was bitten on his left knee, ankle and hand by a ragged-tooth shark that he had caught near Rufane's River, said NSRI station commander Juan Pretorius.

He was in a stable condition in hospital after receiving treatment from fellow anglers and the NSRI.

Pretorius said McDougall was taking part in a rock and surf angling competition at the time of the incident.

McDougall had foul-hooked (hooked on a side fin) a male ragged-tooth shark that measured more than two metres in length.

"While attempting to recover the shark, by grabbing it by the tail...the shark had turned around and bitten his left leg," said Pretorius.

"While attempting to pry the shark's jaw open, to prevent it from doing further damage to his leg, he sustained lacerations and puncture wound bites to his left hand and puncture wounds to two fingers."

Fellow anglers came to his assistance and bandaged and applied a tourniquet to the bite wounds.

The NSRI crew were alerted and when they arrived, McDougall was found in a stable condition. The crew redressed some of the wounds and took McDougall to a hospital in Port Alfred for further treatment.

A shark tooth found embedded in his left knee was to be surgically removed, Pretorius said.

"The shark was measured and safely released back to the ocean," he said.