Teen surfer bitten by shark while wearing device said to reduce risk of attack
A Florida teen is lucky to be a live after a surprise encounter with a shark that he says occurred even though he was wearing a device designed to reduce the risk of an attack.
Zack Davis, 16, was surfing Tuesday in St. Lucie County when a shark appeared out of nowhere and attacked him.
"When I was underwater I just felt like pressure and a bite on my right arm so I just got out of the water and ran to shore as quick as possible," he told Inside Edition.
At the time, Davis was wearing a SharkBanz, a device swimmers and surfers wear on their wrists or ankles.
A promotional video from the company claims the device wards off sharks with a high-powered magnet. In a demonstration, sharks are seen keeping away from bait with the SharkBanz, but return to devour it when the device is taken off.
Davis says he got the $80 anti-shark apparatus for Christmas. He says he wore it exactly once — the day he was bitten.
"I've been surfing that beach for three years and have seen sharks there but have never been bit but the first time I put it on, that's when I got bit," he said.
The co-founder of Sharkbanz reportedly said the company stands behind the Sharkbanz device and wanted to reach out to Zack to find out how the attack happened. He also said "I'm really relieved he is ok and he was super positive about his recovery."
The company says this is the first time anyone has been attacked while wearing the device. "What happened here is essentially the rarest of shark encounters where Zack jumped off his board and pretty much landed on the shark. If anything it [the device] probably helped clear the shark out of the area quicker." SharkBanz scientists reportedly reviewed the incident and believe the shark let go of the boy's arm quicker because of the technology.
Davis wrapped his arm with the leash from his surfboard to slow the bleeding. He required 47 stitches and was released from the hospital on Wednesday.
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Davis doesn't think he will wear the SharkBanz again, but he's not afraid to go back surfing.
"It's probably going to be a while, but I'm going to go back out when I can," he said.
Watch: Catch of the Day: Shark Fisherman Reels in a Kilo of Cocaine During Excursion
