A man was in critical condition after a shark attacked him, partially severing his leg, when he fell overboard while untangling fishing nets from a boat propeller in the Gulf of Mexico.
The Coast Guard said a medical helicopter transferred the 64-year-old man to a hospital early Friday morning after the attack 35 miles from Grand Isle, Louisiana.
“The man had reportedly been untangling fishing nets from the vessel’s propeller when he fell overboard and was bitten by a shark of an unknown size and species,” the Coast Guard said in a news release.
“Crew members aboard the Moon Glow (the fishing vessel) applied a tourniquet to the man’s partially amputated leg and radioed for help.”
When the Coast Guard received the first radio call at 12:51 a.m., a duty flight surgeon recommended medical evacuation by helicopter.
“When the helicopter crew arrived, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer administered first aid and applied a new tourniquet to the man’s leg,” the Coast Guard said in the press release. “The crew hoisted the injured man and transported him to University Medical Center New Orleans in critical condition.”