Finley Downer suffered flesh wounds after being bitten on both legs and had to be taken to a local health clinic by golf cart. He was pulled to safety after he was reportedly attacked by about three nurse sharks while swimming in a lagoon last week. Finley was later flown to the capital, Nassau, for surgery and further treatment for his injuries. The family are now back home in Kettering, Northamptonshire, where Finley is recovering and uses a wheelchair. The boy’s father Michael Downer, 44, told the Sun how Finlay “could have been killed” and the attack was “like a scene out of Jaws”. Mr Downer had taken Finley and his other two children, Lily, nine, and Emily, 12, on a luxury holiday. The family was part way through their five island tour when the Compass Cay attack took place. He said the children decided to join a crowd of people in a lagoon where sharks were swimming. Mr Downer said he suddenly “heard a startled scream and saw dozens (sharks) circling Finlay”. He added: “There was so much blood, bits of his leg were hanging off. “He kept saying, ‘Dad I don’t want to die. Dad, I don’t want to go to heaven.” Finley was pulled from the water by his older sister Lily and Mr Downer had to spend £2,000 on flights to Nassau for the emergency operation. Read more on Sky News: People rescued as terraced house collapses In an interview with The Sun, Mr Downer expressed his anger at being told by guides that the sharks were safe. Operator Exuma Escapes claimed in a statement to the newspaper that the family went unguided to a lagoon it does not use on its tour – adding that the sharks are docile bottom-feeders unless mishandled. Experts say thresher sharks are mostly considered harmless to humans unless suddenly disturbed or stepped on – and many will also swim away when approached.
