John Campion, an expert surfer, was mauled by what is believed to be a bronze whaler off Streaky Bay in West Coast waters. Mr Campion is fortunate enough to survive the latest shark attack, and he is now in stable condition in a hospital.

A photographer was taking photos of Mr Campion and other divers when they seemed to have disappeared from the lens man's sight.

Campion, 47, was surfing with his daughter and friends near Streaky Bay, on the SA West Coast, when the attack happened at about 2:40pm.

Photographer tells story

Local photographer Jeff Schmucker was taking photos of Mr Campion when he noticed the surfers "disappeared."

Mr Schmucker told couriermail.com.au:

"I was shooting three surfers in the water... every time a set came in, I'd snap a couple of photos. But then those guys just disappeared," he said, noting that the surfers "went in at once, so that was a little strange."

True enough, Mr Schmucker had reason to worry. He later heard someone shouted of a shark attack. He called emergency services, and Mr Campion was found with "lacerations on his wetsuit from his hip to his shoulder on his right side."

"The [rescuers] were quite worried for him (but) by the time he was going into the ambulance he was breathing strongly and looking rejuvenated and he was conscious," Mr Schmucker added.

Mr Campion was taken out of the water and carried on a stretcher for about 600m to get to the ambulance. He was later flown to Adelaide.

The Herald Sun reported Mr Campion sustained injuries to his upper body, particularly his right arm, but the wounds are not life-threatening.

"Alarming increase"

Mr Schmucker, who has also been surfing for two decades now, noted:

"There's been an alarming increase in the amount of great whites because the large gillnet fisheries have been ousted from SA waters due to the protection of the Australian sea lion."