Great white shark attacks Australian man and smashes his surfboard at Iluka Beach

A 35-year-old Australian man was attacked by a great white shark while surfing at the Iluka Beach on New South Wales' north coast on Sunday (10 September), the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) said.

Abe Mcgrath, a local from Suffolk Park, drove himself to Ballina Hospital after the shark bit him on his hip. The shark even broke his surf board into two pieces. He was treated for lacerations on his right hip before being transferred to Lismore Hospital.

Mcgrath's friend, Bryce Cameron, shared the photo of the broken surfboard on his Instagram account. "Life could of been very different this morning, so stoked to still have our mate and not witness something far worse. Our arrival to Iluka this morning, (Abe McGrath) hit by a juvenile white pointer. So stoked to see him able to limp up the beach" Cameron wrote in his post.

According to ABC news website, the white shark attacked Mcgrath when he was surfing at about 6.30am local time (9.30pm BST).

A witness, Amber Hopkins shared images of Mcgrath's wounds on Facebook.

"Wow!! This guy has some luck... 6am this morning - Iluka he was attacked by a 3 meter great white shark! He could have lost his life!," Hopkins wrote.

"The great white was coming that fast at him... hit him so hard only the sharks front teeth were able to brush him because the force flew him in the air 10 meters then shark went back and bit the board in half."