Boy, 11, was left 'begging not to die' after horrific shark attack

An 11-year-old boy had his leg amputated and was left ‘begging not to die’ after he was attacked by a shark while swimming at a popular beach.

The young boy sustained serious injuries to the left side of his body after being mauled by the shark at Piedade Beach in Jaboatao dos Guararapes in Brazil.

Footage shared online shows a group of men pulling the boy, who has been identified in local media as Joao Lucas Castor Nemezio, to the shore and calling out for help.

An 11-year-old was rushed to hospital after the attack (Newsflash)

According to reports, Joao was at the beach with his uncle, Aldemir Jose, and two other children when the incident happened.

“We were all in the sea before the attack, and I had just left the water and left the kids in the sea,” Jose said.

“Then I heard a strange noise, and when I turned round, all I could see was blood. I didn’t think twice and raced into the water to get my nephew out.

“He was conscious and just kept begging me not to let him die.”

Lifeguards and an off-duty nurse on the scene administered aid to the youngster until Mobile Emergency Care Services paramedics arrived and rushed him to the nearby Aeronautics Hospital.

He was later transferred to the larger Hospital da Restauracao where he underwent surgery for his injuries.

The boy had to have his left leg amputated, but is now conscious and in stable condition, according to local reports.

The boy's uncle says he was 'begging not to die' (Newsflash)

Local officials said the attack happened in an area that is under a state decree warning about the heightened risk of shark attacks and explained that there are signs designed to inform the public about the risks.

“In Jaboatao, the bathing ban extends from the BarraMares Hotel to the Piedade Church,” Danise Alves, the executive secretary of the State Committee for Monitoring Shark Incidents (CEMIT), said.

"Where the boy was attacked, the sign informs that the area is subject to attacks and provides information on when swimming should be avoided.”

The attack on Sunday is the third this year in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, with two happening back in January.

According to experts, fatal shark attacks are still rare.