Diver fights off great white shark

A 52-year-old diver mauled by a great white shark today fought it off by hitting it with a spear gun near a beach in the Western Australia state capital, Perth, police said.

Brian Williams escaped the attack with just cuts to his left arm. The shark was thought to be an 11ft great white.

“He was believed to be away from the other divers at the time of the attack and the shark attacked from behind, grabbing and biting his arm,” police inspector George Putland told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“He hit out at the shark with his spear gun and eventually the shark swam away,” he added.

Williams was rushed to a Perth hospital, where he was recovering from his wounds.

The attack came just over a week after a woman was killed by up to four sharks in shallow waters off an island near Australia’s east coast.

Three people have been killed by sharks in Western Australia state since 2000.