Surfer escapes death in jaws of Aussie shark — and says he used a simple trick to survive

A surfer has revealed the terrifying moment he was dragged underwater by a shark in Australia — and the simple trick he used to escape with his life.

Alejo Santiñaque, 20, was waiting for a wave at Red Cliff when beast grabbed ahold of him. “I suddenly felt a hard hit and a strong pull on my foot,” the Uruguayan national recalled on Facebook.

“A shark had bitten me.”

The animal dragged Santiñaque into the water, becoming tangled in his surfboard leash.

Alejo Santiñaque, a Uruguayan national living in Australia Friends of Brooms Head /Facebook

With only seconds to react, he used a straightforward defense to force the shark to release its grip.

“Everything happened incredibly fast — I don’t think more than two seconds passed between the bite and my reaction,” he said.

“It pulled me in the water, and my immediate response was to kick it as hard as I could to make it let go,” he continued.

The tactic worked, but the force of the struggle snapped his leash.

A shark attacked Santiñaque. Michael Bogner – stock.adobe.com

Santiñaque had to swim back to shore without his board, unsure if the shark would return.

He credits his survival to maintaining his focus.

“Keeping a clear head was crucial,” he said.

“From the moment I was bitten until I reached the beach, I focused on what I needed to do and avoided panicking.”

Once he reached the shore, his friends quickly applied a tourniquet to his bleeding foot until an ambulance arrived.

Santiñaque underwent surgery for a ruptured tendon and torn muscle, but the bite missed his major arteries.

Despite the ordeal, Santiñaque stated he holds no resentment toward the animal.

“The ocean is its home, and we are the ones entering its environment,” he said.

“Sharks are not villains or monsters. They are wild animals and an essential part of the marine ecosystem.”

Santiñaque has lived in Australia for approximately two years, and he is currently recovering from his injuries.