Featured Image Credit: @matteo_mariotti__/Instagram
Topics: Australia, Shark Attacks, Sharks
Anish Vij
Topics: Australia, Shark Attacks, Sharks
A college student recorded what he thought were his 'final moments' after he was savagely mauled by a shark in Australia.
You can see the harrowing footage for yourself below:
Italian student Matteo Mariotti - who has been studying marine biology in Australia since last year - thought he was going to die after he was attacked by a shark off the 1770 Beach in Queensland last week (8 December).
The 20-year-old was snorkelling just off the coast when he came into contact with 'the monster'.
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After suffering a number of bites to the leg, Matteo was swimming in a pool of his own blood and lost half of his right leg.
“I beg you to help me,” he cries in the video while telling his friend to 'pull me out of the water'.
If it wasn't for his snorkelling fin getting stuck in the shark's mouth, the student believes he would have died.
Matteo was eventually taken to Metro North Hospital and Health Service in Brisbane, where he is now recovering. His condition is believed to be stable.
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“I started this video a few moments after the last bite, I wanted to say goodbye, I never thought I’d survive that monster,” the student said on a video posted to his Instagram account.
Martin Kelly, a senior operations supervisor with the Queensland Ambulance Service, told NBC News: "When you get this type of injury that severe, often people do pass away.
"There are places you just need to be careful [as] you’re in their environment and you need to respect this fact."
Rachele Gorreri, who is organising a GoFundMe appeal on behalf of Matteo, wrote: "We are Matteo's friends. Matteo is a 20 year old boy.
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"He lives in Parma, but a year ago he took a trip to Australia to study and work.
"On Friday 8 December, on a beach in Queensland, he was attacked three times in the leg by a shark.
"The deep wounds he suffered irreparably led to the amputation of his leg, below the knee.
"Matteo will need support and very expensive medical care to get back to living his best life as a twenty-year-old, and we are determined to do our utmost to help him.
"This is why we ask all of you, in your own small way, to help us raise as much money as possible to give the best possible solution to this boy.
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"The collection is in favor of Giovanna Mariotti, Matteo's paternal aunt, who is currently joining him in Australia together with his father Michele Mariotti."
At the time of writing €60,081 has been raised with a €100,000 target.