Shark attack horror as boy, 8, left fighting for his life after snorkelling trip

An eight-year-old boy is fighting for his life in hospital after a shark ripped into his leg while he snorkelled with his family near a coral reef.

The child was swimming with his father and sister near Horseshoe Reef in Key Largo, Florida, when the shark struck just before 3.30pm on Monday. He suffered severe injuries, losing a "significant amount of blood" from a deep bite above the knee. A nearby scuba boat rushed to help, guiding the family back to Garden Cove Marina where paramedics were waiting, WPLG reports. First responders said the boy looked "pale" as two tourniquets and pressure bandages were frantically applied in a bid to save his life.

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"He's been applied two tourniquets, we also put [inaudible] bandage to control the bleeding," a medic radioed. "We’re in the process of getting some vital signs."

The child was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in Miami in critical condition. He underwent emergency surgery on Monday night, Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay confirmed to the Miami Herald. His condition on Tuesday morning was not immediately known.

Authorities have not released the boy’s identity, and doctors are yet to say how long his recovery might take. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has notified the US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Florida is the world's hotspots for shark encounters. Last year, the state logged 14 shark bites - half of all US cases and nearly a third of global incidents, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.

Its beaches dominate the rankings for attacks. New Smyrna Beach, near Daytona, holds the grim record with 277 since 1642 - the highest anywhere. Daytona Beach is second, while Cocoa Beach, Palm Beach and several others also sit near the top.

Authorities are yet to confirm the species behind Monday's horror attack, which has left the boy in a fight for survival. The Mirror has contacted Monroe Police, the US Coast Guard and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for more information.

It comes after startling footage showed the moment a surfer came face-to-face with an eight-foot great whiteshark during a paddle at the beach.

Carlos Gauna, 45, had been filming with his drone camera when he captured the close encounter off the coast of Santa Barbara, California on June 30.

In the clip, a man in red shorts is seen lying face down on his surfboard as the dark-coloured shark moves towards him under the water.