Great white shark bites dinghy in half in horror attack as 'plague' hits Australia

The head of a yacht club in the seaside town says the number of sharks in coastal waters has reached "plague proportions" after a spooky attack saw a three meter great white tearing up in a kayak

Boaters say a seaside town is surrounded by a 'plague' of great white sharks after a recent attack (

Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)

Boat enthusiasts have told of a 'plague' of sharks hitting the Australian coast after a great white ripped a dinghy in half in a terrifying attack.

A man managed to escape last Wednesday (August 17) when the ferocious sea beast struck off Coffs Harbor in northern New South Wales.

He was cruising in the water near two other kayakers when the shark came up behind him and bit into the stern of the six-meter carbon fiber vessel, causing irreparable damage.

In what was described as an “ironic twist” by local media, the man was later rescued by a passing boat which was on its way to set up a shark control drum line in the sea.

A man was lucky to escape when his canoe was ripped in half by a shark off Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. (

Picture:

Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Recognized as a local accountant, he escaped unscathed and has since returned to the sea in a kayak borrowed from the local yacht club, where his mutilated craft is currently stored.

Commenting on the incident, the club's chief commodore John Wait told the Australian Daily Telegraph that it was "only a matter of time" before an attack happened, as the number of sharks in the area had reached "plague proportions".

But he argued that population booms are natural for the region at this time of year, adding: "It's just one of those things - the numbers will soon start falling again."