12:16pm UK, Friday September 30, 2011
Pictures of the moment a British man was pulled to safety after being savaged by a great white shark have been published.
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The photographs captured the rescue of 42-year-old accountant Michael Cohen, whose legs were savaged by the 9ft predator off the South African coast.
Officials said he was dragged to shore by two "good Samaritans" who stopped off at Fish Hoek beach, near Cape Town.
Meanwhile, it has emerged a seal also played a crucial role in preventing Mr Cohen suffering further injury.
It appeared to circle Mr Cohen and the rescuers as he was dragged back to shore - stopping the shark from striking again.
The Briton was rescued by two 'good Samaritans' (Pic: Noble Draper)
The animal's part was revealed in the rescuers' account of the attack, posted by South Africa's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).
Hugh Till, 66, and Douglas Drysdale, 61, both volunteer preachers at a nearby prison, stopped at the beach on their way home.
They often look for whales from the shore at the same spot, but on Wednesday saw Mr Cohen swimming around 25 metres out to sea.
The men then noticed a dark shape heading directly for him - and, as it grew closer, realised it was a shark.
The men had seen the shark circling as Mr Cohen swam (Pic: Noble Draper).
They quickly parked their car and raced onto the beach but, by the time they arrived, the accountant had already been bitten.
The NSRI said: "Without hesitation, the two good Samaritans kicked off their shoes and plunged into the water and waded through the surf to reach the injured swimmer."
As they pulled Mr Cohen to shore, bystanders were screaming that the shark was returning and was just 10 metres away.
Then a "seal appeared and swam between the men and the shark and then kept circling the men, appearing to be fending off the shark".
One of his legs was lost and another badly damaged (Pic: Noble Draper).
It has been confirmed a seal was close by during the episode and eye-witnesses have also said it circled the group.
Mr Cohen was still fully conscious when he was returned to the beach and as tourniquets were tied to his ravaged limbs.
Paramedics gave him oxygen and his head was placed downhill in an effort to bring up his blood pressure.
Doctors have hailed the quick-thinking which saw two belts and the leg ripped from a wetsuit used as tourniquets to stem the flow of blood.
A seal is also said to have helped save the swimmer (Pic: Noble Draper)
Mr Cohen lost his right leg and part of his left foot in the attack and is being treated in the private Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic hospital.
More than seven litres of blood had to be used to stabilise him before he underwent surgery and he is still in a serious condition.
It has emerged power problems in Cape Town may have prevented a shark spotter from sounding an alarm before the attack.
Power company Eskom said the supply was off from just before 11am to just after 1pm because of a trip on the line.
Mr Cohen was given seven litres of blood before surgery
However, NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon has said spotters repeatedly warned Mr Cohen not to go into the water after three sharks were seen.
Mr Lambinon also revealed it was not the first time the accountant had ignored shark warnings and gone swimming.
"They have spoken to him on previous occasions as well, but he still goes and swims," the spokesman said.
Mr Cohen, who is thought to live around 10 miles from the beach, lists open water swimming as one of his favourite sports on Facebook.
About seven people are attacked by sharks along South Africa's coastline each year, with an average of 10% resulting in death.
Zimbabwean visitor Lloyd Skinner, 47, was mauled to death as he swam off Fish Hoek beach in January.
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