Survivor Caleb Swanepoel relives shark attack moment

In 2015, a young student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Caleb Swanepoel, was attacked by a shark while surfing in Buffels Bay. 

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As he was surfing with his two brothers, Joshua and Alexander, he saw the shadow of the three-metre great white shark. The shark hit with violent force, shaking him like a rag doll before pulling him under.

“I didn’t know which section of my body it had. I was just being pulled and shaken around. And then I was trying to come up for air," Swanepoel said in an interview with UCT.

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"The shark had come back. Alex (Alexander) tried to scare it off."

At some stage, the shark also bit into Swanepoel’s left leg.

The attack left his right leg amputated above the knee and lacerations to the left leg as well. The horrific incident happened while he was on holiday with his family. 

His attack was one of two within two days over that specific weekend. 

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Although Swanepoel has lost a leg - he is still extremely positive about life. 

"When I saw the shark I thought it was a dream.

"The attack brought me closer to the ocean and I can look back and be grateful for the moments."

Swanepoel has been selected for the 2021 South African team to compete at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships in California, USA in December.

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Image Credit: Instagram/ Caleb Swanepoel