Woman recalls her terrifying escape after being attacked by a shark in one of the ‘extremely rare’ back-to-back attacks

A woman has spoken of surviving an “extremely rare” shark attack, saying the animal’s bite went “right to the bone.”

On Thursday (July 4), a series of “extremely rare” consecutive shark attacks occurred on South Padre Island in Dallas, Texas.

Of the four injured in the series of attacks, Tabatha Sullivent was the most seriously injured; she has since spoken about the ordeal.

Footage has surfaced online of a shark circling a stretch of beach on South Padre Island on July 4.

Although shark attacks are rare in Texas and usually occur when sharks mistake humans for prey, Tabatha was attacked by a shark while she and her 15-year-old daughter were out behind a sandbar.

She told FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth: “I turned around and saw something dark in the water. I thought it was a big fish and tried to kick it away. But then it grabbed me.

“I think it let go of me and I was able to swim to the beach with one leg and my arms, and it didn’t grab me again.

“Then I approached the beach and people started pulling me out. My husband was the first to pull me out. But he dropped me because the shark was still chasing me.”

The shark was patrolling off the coast (Twitter/ zakisolja)

The shark bit off Tabatha’s left calf and she says her leg is “as good as gone.”

She explained that the injury went “down to the bone,” but that the shark “did not go through the bone.”

She reflected, “If my husband and everyone else on the beach hadn’t intervened immediately. If there hadn’t been people pulling me out – not just to pull me out, but jumping between me and the shark – I don’t think it would have stopped.”

Tabatha’s next surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

The shark bit Tabatha in the leg (FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth)

In addition to Tabatha and her husband, two other people were injured, although their injuries were minor.

South Padre Island Fire Chief Jim Pigg added: “The shark was found on the south end of the island and pushed into deeper water.”

“This is a very rare event that has occurred on the beaches of South Padre. There have been no further sightings or encounters in the last few hours, but we remain vigilant.”

Since the attack, the area has been monitored by drones and helicopters and visitors have been advised to avoid the water or only go in up to their knees.