This heart-stopping video captures the moment when a group surfers paddled to their deaths as they were chased by a great White Shark.
Hein Cooper (musician) was 30 and surfing with Genji Pitt on the NSW South Coast, September 18, when he saw the great white of five meters moving fast towards them.
One observer filmed their two surf buddies and four others in the group, paddling back and forth to the rocks trying to escape the predator.
Daily Mail Australia spoke to Mr Cooper about his ‘humbling moment’ when he realized he was in an extremely dangerous situation.
Hein Cooper (30), a musician, was only metres from the massive adult great white shark.
Daily Mail Australia (left): Mr Cooper talks about how he felt humbled when he realized he was just metres away from the great white shark.
He said, “I looked towards the ocean from my position and I saw a fin at 35m.”
At first, it looked like a seal with its fin stretched out on the side. However, when I turned my head it had reached within eight meters of me. That’s when I had an Jaws moment. I shouted “Shark!”
Milton native Mr. Cooper stated that he feels lucky to be back on dry soil and also to have met ‘one the finest designs of nature’.
“I remember feeling the cold presence, stone-cold presence of an Apex killer,” he stated.
“I have never felt this kind of energy before. We all knew we had to get moving immediately.”
“We all felt humbled and thankful to have survived.”
The moment the group paddled for their lives was captured on heart-stopping footage. In the red circle, you can see the outline of the shark below the water.
He is Turia Pitt’s brother and motivational speaker. Turia was also a burns survivor and has been a Navy diver for many years.
Cooper explained that the size of its dorsal fin measured approximately 40 cm high. This is roughly equivalent to a laptop’s screen.
“My friend talked to many people, and they all agreed that it was a great-white.”
The surfers also noticed the shark’s fins were square with triangle-shaped chunks missing – a sign the predator was a full-sized adult.
He said that he and his companions spent approximately half an hour at the top of the hill, just to see what had occurred.
An onlooker filmed the surfers and their mates as they paddled back towards shore, trying to escape from the predator.
Since then, the friend and musician have purchased tourniquets so they are ready for any future encounters with sharks.
Cooper stated that his experiences had not stopped him from surfing and that he respects the freedom of the white to surf.
He said, “If it had actually taken me, there’s no reason I would want my family to go after that shark.”
It’s not the solution to all problems to use a bunch hooks. [on drumlines]There are many.
People may think that I’m insane and ask, “What if it was your son?”
A musician, Mr Cooper mistakenly thought the shark was a seal.
“But for what purpose do you suppose we are here on earth?” We are not here for bubble wrapping.
They were rescued amid increasing attacks by great white sharks in Australia.
There were 82 shark attacks on Australia in 1990. The number rose to 161 by the end of the decade.
Between 2010 and 2020, there were 220. In 2021, there have been 18 terrorist attacks. Two of those incidents were confirmed deadly in November.