11 November 2023 , 18:52
438
0
A swimmer has suffered nerve damage after a great white shark clamped its jaws on her head - and left its teeth in her skull.
Bridgette O'Shannessy, 32, had been diving and swimming off the coast of Port Noarlunga, Australia when the attack happened.
She lost some teeth, sustained a brain injury and nerve damage in the horror, but is now in a stable condition in intensive care. Bridgette's partner Brian Gordon Roberts helped free her from the fearsome animal on Friday and called paramedics.
Surgeons removed shark teeth lodged in her skull, it is reported. Writing on social media today, Brian said: "Unfortunately, Bridgette was hit by a white pointer at Port Noarlunga reef yesterday."
Bridgette had teeth removed from her skull, it is reported (Linkedin)The social media post added: "She’s out of theatre now in ICU and in a stable condition. She’s doing really well considering the circumstances, and thanks for all the well wishes; I’ve been passing them on to her."
Missing radioactive capsule found after huge search - and it's the size of a pea
Shocked onlookers watched as, Bridgette, an experienced diver and environmental consultant at a university, was rushed to the shore, with bystanders holding up plastic sheets to respect her privacy while the medics got to work.
Passers-by desperately tried to rescue stricken Bridgette O'Shannessy (Seven News)A woman, who was at the beach, told Seven News: "I looked up to see this women basically wrapped in tarp… there was blood on the side of her head. When they brought her up to the ambulance, you could see there was a lot of blood. No one knew it was a shark attack."
Police attempted to locate the wild beast, but failed to track it down. They've since released a statement claiming that beachgoers have returned to the water.
It read: "Police with the assistance of other emergency services evacuated the water while a search to locate the shark was undertaken. Members of the public have since returned to the water after the search failed to locate the shark."