Great White Severs Surfer's Right Leg

A 23-year-old Australian surfer had his right leg severed in a shark attack on Tuesday, with the leg later washing up on shore. The BBC reports Kai McKenzie, 23, was surfing near Port Macquarie in New South Wales when what was thought to be a 10-foot-long great white attacked. A GoFundMe campaign notes he saw the shark approach and managed to fight it off, but not without sustaining the major injury. McKenzie was able to catch a wave that brought him to shore; Sky News reports a dog leash was used to fashion a makeshift tourniquet, which "essentially saved his life until the paramedics got there," says a rep for the emergency services, per the BBC.

The sponsored surfer was ultimately airlifted to a major trauma center about 125 miles away, as was his severed leg, in the hopes doctors could reattach it. The Guardian reports the outcome of that attempt hasn't been shared. McKenzie is said to be in serious but stable condition. The GoFundMe has thus far raised about $77,000 to support his recovery. The Guardian adds that McKenzie in January wrote on Instagram that he was "so happy to be back surfing after having a fractured neck." (More shark attack stories.)