A 68-year-old man from Hawaii was swimming around 400 yards from shore when he was attacked by a reported 12-foot shark but he was able to force it to release its grip using a diving knife

A man, 68, has been seriously injured after fighting off a 12-feet shark with a knife while swimming in Hawaii.

He was rushed to hospital with bite wounds to the top of his legs and lower body after being attacked off Anaehoomalu Bay, in Waikoloa, at around 8.15am local time, on Tuesday, and authorities now say he is in a stable condition.

The incident comes a week after a 60-year-old woman from Washington state disappeared off South Maui after an apparent shark attack while she was snorkelling with her husband.

In the latest attack, onlookers said that the man was around 400 yards from the shore when the shark went for him.

One person said the predator “got a good chunk of the left side of his back rear.”

Shark warning signs put in in Anaehoomalu Bay following the attack

Witness Anthony Singh said: “It was brutal,” reported hawaiinewsnow.com.

Hawaii Police said that the local man used a diving knife to “fend off” the shark and was successful in forcing it to release its grip.

He was then helped ashore and taken to Queens North Hawaii Community Hospital.

Witnesses said that paddleboarders were able to help pull the man out of the water and having got him to shore he was coherent and responsive.

“Our friend, yesterday, was right out there where the swimmer was,” reportedly said one onlooker. “I guess it’s just wrong place, wrong time.”

A police statement read: “Hawaii Island police have initiated a public accident case in connection with a shark attack that was reported on Tuesday morning, December 13, 2022, at Anaehoomalu Bay, in Waikoloa.

“A 68-year old Waikoloa man was swimming about 400 yards offshore around 8am when the shark bit him on the lower left torso. The swimmer attempted to fend off the shark with a diving knife and the shark released the swimmer.

“The swimmer was assisted to shore and transported to Queens North Hawaii Community Hospital by Hawai‘i Fire Department personnel for treatment. The Waikoloa man is in stable condition and will be transported to Oahu for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.”