A 9-year-old has been bitten by a shark in French Polynesia around July 11, 2016.
The boy, identified only as Matahi, was spearfishing with two friends in Puka-Puka around 5 p.m., when he returned to the boat with his friend who had just speared a fish.
Link to graphic image of the wound.
Matahi saw his friends eyes get big and he turned to see what the friend was looking at. He then sees a black tip shark which grabs hold of his right arm.
He was able to punch the shark with his free hand and began kicking at the shark, which let go and swam away.
The three boys quickly climbed into the boat as they saw two other sharks swimming underneath them.
He was taken for treatment the next day and has made a good recovery. His mother said he jokingly called the shark harmless.
The approximate location has been marked on the 2016 shark attack bites tracking map.
