A diver is recovering after a bull shark attacked him approximately 30 miles off Florida's Emerald Coast on Tuesday. The incident occurred during what was intended to be a routine diving excursion.
Jacob Johnson, the boat captain, was diving with three other individuals when the attack took place during their final dive of the day. Johnson heard his friend cry out for help, initially thinking it was a minor injury. However, upon looking over the side of the boat, he saw his friend surrounded by blood.
The unidentified friend had sustained severe injuries to both forearms and was unable to lift himself back onto the boat due to the wounds. Johnson described the situation as requiring immediate action rather than extensive deliberation. "There was no time for emotions or critical thinking as far as risk analysis — I just jumped in," Johnson stated.
Johnson quickly removed the injured diver's gear and assisted him back into the boat. The other members of the group also reacted instinctively to help. One individual used a shirt to create a tourniquet for an arm, while another used a hemostatic powder called WoundSeal, which had been packed by his wife, to help slow the bleeding. "You're not bleeding out on my watch," Johnson told his friend as he applied the tourniquet.
Johnson and the others continued to speak with the victim to keep him calm. He remained conscious until the Coast Guard arrived and transported him to shore, from where he was airlifted to a Pensacola, Florida, hospital. The diver is expected to make a full recovery, despite damage to an artery in one forearm and the other requiring numerous stitches. Johnson reported that his friend had already undergone one surgery.