While swimming: Woman survives gruesome shark attack

Bundeena (Australia) - A 56-year-old woman was attacked by a shark on Australia's east coast and seriously injured in the leg - now she tells of her gruesome horror experience.

56-year-old Mangyon Zhang underwent emergency surgery after the shark attack.
56-year-old Mangyon Zhang underwent emergency surgery after the shark attack.  © Bildmontage: Facebook/Screenshot/Mangyon Zhang

As Daily Mail reports, Mangyon Zhang (56) experienced a nightmare on Friday as she swam in chest-deep water at Sydney's Gunyah Beach.

A suspected bull shark attacked her, inflicting severe cuts to her leg.

Seriously injured, she was flown to hospital in a rescue helicopter, where emergency surgery was performed immediately.

The woman survived the attack and remembers the exact moment when she thought her life was over.

Mangyon noticed the shark

A suspected bull shark attacked the 56-year-old woman and inflicted serious injuries to her leg. (symbolic image)
A suspected bull shark attacked the 56-year-old woman and inflicted serious injuries to her leg. (symbolic image)  © 123RF/ssviluppo

Mangyon felt the animal rush past her before everything suddenly went numb and adrenaline shot through her body, her partner Maria Masutti told the Daily Telegraph.

Shortly afterwards, she noticed the blood staining the water around her red. She desperately tried to stay afloat and waited for help.

Beachgoer Blake Dickson immediately recognized her plight and bravely jumped into the water to save her.

Together with other first responders, he tried to stop the bleeding with towels until the emergency services finally arrived and took over the life-saving measures.

Thanks to the rapid intervention of the rescuers, the 56-year-old was able to survive the accident and escape death.