A dramatic video has emerged showing a young fisherman diving into the crashing waves of Southern California to free a shark entangled in his fishing line.
At around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 20-year-old Kevin Phan found himself in an unexpected struggle while fishing from a pier at Hermosa Beach when a shark snagged his line.
Footage captured by onlookers reveals Phan sprinting towards the water’s edge to rescue the distressed creature.
In the video, he can be seen perilously close to the shark as he works to carefully remove the line from its mouth.
The scene, filmed by beach-goers, shows the young fisherman bravely intervening to save a stranded great white shark along the California coast.
Amidst the action, the voices of witnesses can be heard, questioning the shark’s survival as the intense rescue unfolded.
After a number of tumbles through the incoming crashing waves, Phan grabbed ahold of the shark’s tail and fearlessly guided it back into the ocean, prompting cheers from onlookers.
“I saw a bunch people over there, and I ran down there like there’s something going on,” witness Stephen Copeland told local outlet KTLA. “He was in his underwear… he said that was the second one of the day.”
A great white shark swims in the waters off of California. (Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild)
Phan reportedly suffered minor cuts and scrapes, but was otherwise unharmed, according to the outlet.
Other fishermen at the pier said they may avoid the casting spot due to an increase in shark sightings.
Great White Shark (Carcharodon Carcharias) on the Guadalupe Island. (Dave Fleetham/Design Pics Editorial)
“Don’t know if I’m gonna be coming here as often because of that,” George Lam told the news station. “Mostly just here for smaller fish, something get a quick bite.”
Studies by the California State University at Long Beach showed juvenile great white sharks generally pose a low risk to humans at beaches.
However, they frequently gather near the shore to feed on small fish.
