Australian police said on Monday that a 39 year-old man was lucky to be alive after a shark bit off the back of his kayak in Moreton Bay off Brisbane, on Sunday afternoon.
The man, who was paddling with eight others, made a frantic mayday call from his sinking 6.5-metre kayak for water police to find him.
Authorities then contacted passing planes bound for Brisbane Airport and asked incoming pilots to help locate and track the terrified paddler.
The incident occurred around eight km off land with Queensland Water Police sergeant, Gordon Thiry, telling Australian Associated Press “the man was very lucky authorities had found him in time.”
It is not known what species of shark attacked the kayaker, however the waterway is known for a large number of bull sharks.
The man was not harmed. (NAN)