In the drone footage, professional surfer Matt Wilkinson is narrowly rescued from a huge white shark about 2.5 meters off the coast of Bali in northern New South Wales.
The World Championship Tour surfer was paddling on his board near Sharps Beach on Wednesday when a shark sped forward behind him.
Wilkinson said in a statement to Surf Life Saving NSW: “I heard splashes and noises and looked around and couldn’t see anything.
The Surf Lifesaver drone operated overhead and was able to transmit warnings from the aircraft’s speakers.
“The drone came down and told me there were dangerous sharks in the area, back to the beach,” Wilkinson said.
“I felt a little weird on the shore and the lifeguards showed me the footage and I realized how close it came without knowing it was there. It feels like he’s running for my feet and he’s changed his mind.
“I’ve been surfing with sharks all my life and I understand they’re there and they know enough to know they’re not very interested in humans. “Today I am reconsidering the shark in the last second,” Wilkinson said.
The beach was evacuated following the incident and closed for the day.
Wilkinson was also competing when Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark in South Africa in 2015.
“I feel grateful and pretty weird at the same time but I’m glad I decided not to go. When I looked at the footage I saw similarities, like I had a yellow leg string and Mick’s board was yellow I was thinking the same thing when I came in, ”Wilkinson said.
“I called my wife because I didn’t want her to see the footage before she did. She doesn’t want me to surf for a few days now. “
The drone operator, Bauu monks, described watching the encounter from their monitors on shore.
“It kind of came out of nowhere, then went right up to Matt. He moved very fast. I was chipping him and notifying the lifeguards and using the speakers on the drone to get everyone out of the water.”
“Within 10 seconds he was on the surfer and after five seconds he was gone.”
The monks said at ABC News Breakfast that the sound of the drone would have frightened away the great white man.
“I’m not sure why the shark decided to return at the last minute. It could be something as simple as bumping into his rope, or it would be a drone. Sea creatures are known to move away when drones arrive, ”he said.
Drones are being flown on a number of beaches on the NSW every day during the school holidays, and are used to warn surfers and swimmers of various hazards, including marine animals.
Steven Pierce, chief executive of Surf Life Saving NSW, said drones are the future of aerial surveillance.
“They have proven themselves to be cheaper and more effective than helicopters and are preferred by the community,” he said.
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