Surfer mauled in ‘shark bite capital of the world' after beast ‘clamped down like a bear trap out of nowhere'
SAVAGE ATTACK Surfer mauled in 'shark bite capital of the world' after beast 'clamped down like a bear trap out of nowhere'
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A SURFER has been mauled by a shark in a tourist hotspot that has developed a reputation for attacks carried out by the predators.
Matthew Bender had to go under the knife after his arm was left savaged.
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Surfer Matthew Bender was left hospitalized after being attacked by a shark off the coast of Florida
Credit: WOFL-TV
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New Smyrna Beach is known as the shark bite capital of the world (stock)
Credit: Getty
He was in the water at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on Sunday when the predator struck, as reported by the Fox affiliate WOFL-TV.
Lifeguards sprang into action and fellow surfers used a leash to act as a tourniquet.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Bender recalled the horror.
'I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere,' he told the outlet.
'I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity.'
He revealed he was squeezing the area left mangled by the shark bite.
Bender had to undergo surgery but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.
But, doctors had to repair nerves and tendons.
Bender faces a period of time off his surfboard but hasn't been deterred by the attack.
"For some reason, I got to take a little break, but I'll be back out there," he vowed.
New Smyrna Beach is known as the shark bite capital of the world.
Since the 1880s, there have been more than 300 shark attacks along the stretch of coastline.
More recently, there have been up to 10 attacks at New Smyrna Beach per year.
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