A Florida man is recovering after a shark attack at a marina in the Bahamas

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man who fell from a fishing boat and was attacked by a shark at a Bahamas marina last month is recovering.

Marlin Wakeman, 24, of Stuart, said during a news conference Thursday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach that he would return to the Bahamas and the water as soon as possible.

“Maybe I’ll have a few nightmares here or there, but I’ll be fine,” Wakeman said.

WARNING: The video contains images that some may find disturbing.

Wakeman was at the Flying Fish Marina on Long Island on April 26 when he tried to jump to the docked boat he was working on. He said at least 20 sharks swim around the marina at any given time because they are attracted to the discarded fish carcasses. Wakeman slipped and fell into the shark-infested water. Seconds later, he was bitten on the leg by what he thought was a Caribbean reef shark. Another shark hit him in the shoulder before he could get out of the water.

Wakeman said the boat captain tied a tourniquet to his leg before he was taken to a clinic. He was later flown to Florida for surgery at St. Mary’s.

Dr. Robert Borrego said the shark punctured Wakeman’s kneecap and narrowly missed an artery. The trauma surgeon estimated the length of the shark to be around 2 meters based on the size of the bite mark.

Borrego said he expects Wakeman to make a full recovery.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.