Snorkeller mauled by a shark during early morning attack drives himself to hospital and admits beast got a 'pretty good bite' out of his arm

  •  Peter O'Halloran was snorkelling in Exmouth when he was bitten by a shark
  • The 57-year-old saw a flash and some bubbles before the shark attacked his arm
  • He drove himself to hospital and caught a domestic flight to Perth for surgery

By Lauren Ferri For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

A man who was attacked by a shark while snorkelling drove himself to hospital and caught a domestic flight to have surgery.

Peter O'Halloran was snorkelling in Exmouth, on Western Australia's North West Cape, about 9am Friday when he felt something bite him on the arm.

The 57-year-old said he saw a flash and some bubbles before the shark mauled his arm.

Peter O'Halloran (pictured) was snorkelling in Exmouth, on Western Australia's North West Cape, about 9am Friday when he felt something bite him on the arm

Peter O'Halloran (pictured) was snorkelling in Exmouth, on Western Australia's North West Cape, about 9am Friday when he felt something bite him on the arm

Talking to media at Perth airport and showing them an X-ray of his injuries, Mr O'Halloran said the tear 'goes right through the meat'

Talking to media at Perth airport and showing them an X-ray of his injuries, Mr O'Halloran said the tear 'goes right through the meat'

Mr O'Halloran was swimming 400metres from the shore near Exmouth Marina when he was attacked, Seven News reported.

'Something grabbed me on the arm and gave it a good shake, so yeah it got a pretty good bite out of it,' he said. 

He managed to swim himself to shore then drive to hospital before boarding a domestic flight to Perth to have surgery.

Talking to media at Perth airport and showing them an X-ray of his injuries, Mr O'Halloran said the tear 'goes right through the meat'. 

'They said there was a bit of bone missing. That's right through the top, through all the meat there.' 

Mr O'Halloran had been swimming at the same spot for years and said the possibility of being attacked was 'always in the back of his mind'. 

He underwent surgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on Saturday.

The beach near Exmouth Marina has been closed since the attack on Friday as Fisheries officers worked to identify the type of shark. 

Mr O'Halloran was swimming 400metres from the shore near Exmouth Marina (pictured)when he was attacked

Mr O'Halloran was swimming 400metres from the shore near Exmouth Marina (pictured)when he was attacked

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