Great White Shark Attack Off Manhattan Beach California

A long distance swimmer was bitten by a great white shark on Saturday July 5, 2014 as he was swimming off of Manhattan Beach, California. The 7 foot juvenile shark was hooked by a fisherman fishing off of Manhattan Beach Pier about 30 minutes prior to the attack.

The shark was still on the line when the swimmer, Steven Robles, swam right into it entangling himself with the struggling great white shark.

Robles described the attack as, “He (the shark) surfaces to the top, I see him for two seconds and he makes a really sharp turn and comes lunging right at me on my chest. I had no time to react, it just happened so quick.”

Robles was taken to the hospital with bites to the chest and hand. Released the following day, he is recovering at home.

Erin Martin, director of Roundhouse Aquarium on the pier and witness to the attack, explained the shark’s behavior. “It’s called a provoked attack, which means the shark was angry and it wanted to get away. The shark did not come up and purposefully attack somebody.”

Raw Footage of Great White Shark Attack Caught on Camera at Manhattan Beach Pier

Video courtesy of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESzXLQhMMlo.

Photo courtesy of http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/shark-week/photos/great-white-shark-bait.htm.