A fisherman has opened up about the moment he was horrifically attacked by a shark which ripped off his arm.
Jamaican Michael Simpson - with over 29 years of experience at sea - says he ventured into the Caribbean Sea to begin his day.
However, little did he know that strong winds and current were blowing in his direction - causing the ocean to pull in more deadly fish from the waters below.
It was then, on June 24, 2022, that Simpson’s work day was cut short after he fell victim to a 15-foot tiger shark, losing his right arm while grappling for his life.
Luckily he came out a survivor, but after recalling his disturbing contact with the monster of the ocean, he says he has been left traumatised.
He says that his close encounter with death were the longest 15 minutes of his life.
Looking back on the moments before the shocking attack happened, he says he set sail from his base at Salt River at around 8am on Friday.
The attack then took place somewhere between Half Moon Cay and Miller Bay some time after 2pm that day.
After falling into the water, the shark, he says, started to pull him into the water as he lost hold of his fishing gun, adding that if he did not fight with everything he had then he would have died at sea.
Despite several attempts to cry for help, the boat's driver finally noticed him and rushed to his rescue.
Simpson explained that the shark was shaking him from side to side with the arm as its anchor and must have heard the boat approaching because it suddenly got more aggressive leading up to him losing his arm.
Recounting the horrific moment, he said: “I felt something bounce on me, but I thought it was one of my friends at first."
The veteran fisherman was immediately admitted to May Pen Hospital, where he grew determined to survive.
The fisherman says that he is grateful to be alive today, despite of the severity of his blood loss.
Although admitting that losing an arm may be tragic, but he also thanks God for still being alive today, because it could have been worse.
However, heartbroken Simpson has revealed that he is worried about his family's future as he has lost his sole method of income.
The arm he lost was his dominant one, and in order to generate an income as a fisherman, he would have to undertake a myriad of labour-intensive tasks.
Being one-handed has already left him being a huge burden to those around him and he finds it hard and ungainly to push forward left-handed, he admits.
Simpson also warned other fishermen to be careful and alert while out at sea, adding that they should not allow what happened to him to happen to them.
His fellow fisherfolk have understandably been left extremely shocked and worried following the incident, saying that when his colleagues took him to the hospital, many were crying and swore that they would never return to the sea.
Although shark attacks are almost nonexistent in Jamaica, a rise in incidents like this one have been reported in the last few years.
