Great White Shark Attacks Teen's Kayak, Drags Girl Before Rescue

An Australian girl's kayak was attacked by a great white shark off the Normanville coast on Sunday. However, the teenager survived as her father and brother came to her rescue.

Sarah Williams, 15, was paddling off the coast when a large shark rammed her into the water. During her appearance in the Today Show, the girl said she was singing songs when the attack took place.

“The next thing I know, a shark was hitting my kayak from below,” she said. “It flipped my kayak ... as soon as I hit the water, I saw the fin and the tail and I thought: ‘This is like the Jaws movie’.”

Sarah said her feet touched the shark’s body as she scrambled back into her kayak. “I basically used the body weight of the shark to get back up,” she said. The attack, described by the girl's father as "spine-tingling," left teeth marks on the underside of the kayak.

Her father, Chris Williams, told the Today Show how the event unfolded. "Out of nowhere the shark has come up from underneath and hit the kayak that Sarah was on, and has projected her and the kayak into the air," he said.

"I saw this flurry of white water and this massive big shark roll on its side just trying to get Sarah as she was climbing back onto the kayak."

He also described how his son had to quickly pull his daughter out of the water. "We were right next to the shark and Mitch has just grabbed her — right over the back of the shark to get her in the boat," he recalled.

Chris added: "This spine-tingling scream that not only me but my son and my eldest daughter heard is just something you cannot describe."

"All night we've sat up and thought: how did we get out of this alive?" he said.

Below are some tips as to how to survive a shark attack. According to an article on the Florida Museum of Natural History website, a shark attack can be avoided by observing certain precautions.

1. Choose to swim in a group as sharks most often attack lone individuals.

2. Don't wander too far from the shore as it may be difficult to return fast for help in case you spot a shark.

3. Avoid the water at night, dawn, or dusk as sharks are most active at these times.

4. In case you have a cut or you are bleeding, do not enter the water.

5. Leave the water immediately if you spot a shark.

6. Avoid going into waters containing sewage as it attracts bait fishes, which in turn attract sharks.

7. Don't splash a lot in the water. Erratic movements can attract sharks.

8. Don't try to touch a shark if you see one.

9. If attacked by a shark, do whatever it takes to get away from it.