Student shares video of terrifying shark attack that cost him a leg and reveals how he escaped

Warning: This article contains distressing content

A student has shared horrifying footage of him being attacked by a shark, an encounter which cost him his leg.

Marine biology student Matteo Mariotti had been studying in Australia, and posted harrowing footage showing him trying to escape a shark.

In the disturbing footage Matteo can be heard shouting for help as he tries to escape the creature.

Eventually, his friend Tommaso Agosti pulls him from the water and calls for help.

Speaking to Italian news outlet l'Unione Sarda, Matteo said that he had gone to swim after finding out that his grandfather had died.

He said: "I had just learned that my grandfather Giovanni had died. I needed to relax and I thought I'd take a swim not far from the shore, also because there were other people in the water.

"I put on the mask with the snorkel but I certainly wouldn't have gone far; I also took a small camera to film the small fish, as I always do, but after a few steps in the water, I felt a terrible pang in my foot."

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The pain soon spread as Matteo came to the terrifying realisation that a shark was attacking him.

He said: “The shark began to drag me out to sea, until at a certain point I managed to grab its head with my hands."

Amazingly, Matteo was able to free himself from the shark's jaws before making his way back to shore.

He said: “I struggled to widen that big mouth and freed my leg, even though I understood that from the knee down there was nothing left.”

The video posted to Instagram shows Matteo getting into the shallow water, where Tommaso was able to get him to safety.

Matteo said: “I was screaming in fear that the shark would reach me, I was screaming for help from my friend Tommaso, who was on the beach.”

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Fortunately he was able to get out of the water, before nurse and diving instructor Tommaso tried to staunch the bleeding.

Matteo was then taken to Brisbane Hospital by air ambulance.

There he underwent surgery on his leg, with another procedure scheduled. Although he has partially lost the use of his left leg - which was amputated below the knee - Matteo survived the horrendous ordeal.

He said: “I never thought I’d survive that monster," adding: "Tommaso saved my life."

The 20-year-old student from Italy said he believes his grandfather had been watching out for him.

“I no longer have a leg, but I’m alive, my grandfather protected me," he said.