Man Swallowed Alive by Great White Shark Shares Harrowing Experience of Being Trapped Inside
A diver has revealed the harrowing experience of being swallowed head-first and whole by a great white shark.
Eric Nerhus, from Eden, Australia, was diving near the reefs at Cape Howard in New South Wales in January 2007, searching for abalone, a type of edible sea snail, when the predator attacked.
At 41 years old, the seasoned diver found himself inside the stomach of the 10-foot-long shark, with its piercing teeth sinking into his flesh.
The shark attempted to swallow him whole, crushing his head and chest. Fortunately, his heavy diving gear provided some protection.
Describing the ordeal, he said, “One minute it was daylight, the next second everything went black. Inside the jaws, it was just dark; I couldn’t see anything because I was looking down the back of its throat. I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
Eric detailed his escape to Nine Network News at the time, saying, “Half my body was in its mouth. I felt down to the eye socket with my two fingers and poked them into the socket.
The shark reacted by opening its mouth, and I just tried to wriggle out. It was still trying to bite me. It crushed my goggles into my nose and they fell into its mouth.
I’ve never felt fear in my life like what I felt in the jaws of that white pointer. I went straight into its mouth, front onwards. Half my body was in its throat. It was like being in a dark cave.”
He managed to wriggle free and swim to the surface, where his son helped him back onto their boat as the shark circled.
Co-worker Dennis Luobikis praised Eric’s bravery, describing how he fought back: “He pushed his abalone chisel into the shark’s head while it was biting, and it let him go and swam away. Eric is a tough boy – he’s super fit. But I would say that would test anyone’s resolve, being a fish’s lunch.”
Man Swallowed Alive by Great White Shark Shares Harrowing Experience of Being Trapped Inside
