The 68-year-old swimmer received bites to his ribcage, lower leg, hip and both hands as he tried to fight off the shark, said Justin Gibbs - the director of emergency services in Hyde County, North Carolina.
He added: ‘The individual was actually located right in front of the lifeguard tower when it occurred.’
The shark was thought to be about 7 foot long according to witnesses, and it pulled the man under the water where he was bitten several times.
This latest attack comes after a spate of serious incidents involving sharks, including the June 14th attacks where a girl, 12, and boy, 16 both lost arms to a shark.
Most of the attacks occurred in similar circumstances, when swimmers were in relatively shallow, waist deep water.
Experts have come up with various theories to explain why the shark attacks in the region have been so high this year, with some believing the higher numbers of sea turtles along the coast playing a part.
And despite the relative increase in shark attacks this year (in North Carolina), it is worth noting that you’re still more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a shark, and you’re actually more likely to be killed by a COW than a shark.
We knew those cows were dangerous.