Australia: Surfer’s severed leg washes up on beach after shark attack; doctors race to reattach it

The severed leg of a surfer, who was attacked by a shark, washed up on an Australian beach after some time, with doctors now racing to see if it can be reattached.

Kai McKenzie, 23, was surfing near Port Macquarie in New South Wales (NSW) on Tuesday when a 3m (9.8ft) great white shark bit him.

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He successfully rode a wave to the shore, where an off-duty police officer strongly wrapped a tourniquet to prevent the flow of blood, authorities reported.

Later, his leg that was bitten off by the shark washed ashore, and locals placed it on ice before it was transported to the hospital, where doctors are currently evaluating surgical options.

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According to emergency services McKenzie, a sponsored surfer, is still in a serious but stable condition. He had taken a break from the sport due to a serious neck injury, and had just recently returned to the sea, according to one of his Instagram posts.

NSW Ambulance's Kirran Mowbray thanked the off-duty officer for his prompt response to the situation, and told BBC, "He used the lead off his dog as a tourniquet... and essentially saved his life until the paramedics got there."

She said that McKenzie was “calm” and “able to talk” after the attack. “He’s just a really brave and courageous young man,” she said.

Following the incident, McKenzie was first taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle. The detached leg that was found on the shore was kept on ice and transported to a hospital roughly 200km from the attack site.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to assist McKenzie's family with medical and rehabilitation expenses, raising over $49,000 as of Wednesday (July 24), according to BBC.

(With inputs from agencies)