Mr Ventura and a diving buddy tried to release the large predator, which had been trapped in the nets for some time, but he said the animal suddenly became “spooked”. Seconds after the shark was released, it began to thrash violently, sinking its rows of teeth into Mr. Ventura’s left thigh, leaving a huge gash in his leg.
“So I try, try to kick away. Two, three kicks, boom. I felt the impact,” he said, “The shark got a little scared, just having two unknown things there scared him.
Mr Ventura managed to reach shore and applied a tourniquet using his own diving equipment. Hawaiian media reported he was airlifted to Kona Community Hospital, where doctors closed the deep wounds with 70 staples and 90 stitches, but he said he is recovering well and has no regrets.
“The surgeon, the infectious disease guys, the nurses, the staff, everyone was epic. They’re all epic people,” Ventura said.
He added: “Brah, I never learned my lesson. I’m always going to help the shark. I’m always going to help wildlife in general, but for anyone watching this at home, don’t be a hero. There are people trained to do this kind of thing.”
Blacktip reef sharks are found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and in the warmer seas around the Middle East. Like many shark species, females grow larger than males, reaching an average length of about one and a half meters, while larger specimens grow up to two meters in length.
Blacktips tend to be timid around divers and swimmers, preferring to swim away and avoid an encounter.
However, by the end of 2025, fourteen attacks have been recorded this year, and a total of around forty interactions have been recorded in the International Shark Attack File, a database of shark incidents that contains records dating back to the 16th century.
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