Brit attacked by shark in South Africa

A British tourist was attacked by a shark while he was surfing at Noordhoek beach near Cape Town on Monday.

Craig Lambinon for the National Sea Rescue Institute said Chris Sullivan, 32, was attacked about 10:00 by what is believed to have been a 4m great white shark.

Sullivan, of New Quay, United Kingdom, arrived in Cape Town on Sunday.

Lambinon said when the NSRI arrived at Noordhoek beach, Sullivan was already out of the water. He had lacerations to his right calf and puncture wounds underneath his foot.

"He was stabilised and flown to Constantiaberg MediClinic aboard the Metro Rescue Red Cross AMS helicopter for further treatment and is reported to be stable. He is due to undergo surgery to the injury."

Lambinon said Sullivan was surfing with a friend, Keith Lawson from Scotland, who arrived in Cape Town three days earlier, and Mark Sampson, also from the UK, but who now lives in Noordhoek.

He said: "Sampson's board snapped earlier and he had left the beach. The remaining two surfers were attacked by what they reported to have been a great white shark approximately 4 meters in length.

"Lawson was not injured in the attack.

"Dr Spies, from Fish Hoek, who was first on the scene and apparently witnessed the attack, treated Sullivan prior to the NSRI medics arrival on-scene.

Lambinon said surfers and bathers at Long Beach, Kommetjie and Noordhoek were warned of the attack, but the beaches had not been closed.