Paul De Gelder, 45, was left to drown in his own blood as the predator sank its 350 razor-like teeth into Sydney Harbor in February 2009. The former paratrooper, from Melbourne, had become a bomb disposal diver with the Australian Navy and was taking part in a routine military exercise when he was attacked. Recalling the moment – which he says he ‘scared all his life’ growing up in Australia – he told Daily Mai: ‘My fighting instinct kicked in. As every schoolboy knows, if you’re attacked by a shark, punch it in. the eye. “That was the only option I was denied as my right arm was pinned by its teeth to my leg.” Mr De Gelder said he attempted a counterattack with his left arm, but the shark began to shake him “like a rag doll”. “As his teeth worked through my flesh and bones like saws, I was overcome with the most intense pain imaginable,” she said. “All the fight left me and I began to drown in the bloody water as the 700 pound behemoth began to pull me down.” The diver said he had resigned himself to the fact that he was going to die when the shark suddenly released him and swam away. The former skydiver believes the shark mistook him for another sea creature because of the black suit and flippers he was wearing (Getty Images) Not knowing how much time he had before the blood raining down on him attracted other predators, the diver lifted his injured arm out of the water and headed for the navy safety boat. “I saw the look of horror on my teammates’ faces as they dragged me in so I did what soldiers do and made a joke,” he said. “Then I closed my eyes and prepared to bleed to death.” Mr De Gelder said he owed his life to one of his quick-thinking team members who “wrung his hand into my leg and held my severed artery closed with his fingers” until he was handed over to medics and nurses ashore. . Paul de Gelder says his ‘fighting instinct kicked in’ and he punched the shark in the eye (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) The 45-year-old was released from hospital after nine weeks and returned to military training just six months later, despite losing part of his right leg and right arm. On reflection, Mr De Gelder believes the shark mistook him for another sea creature because of the black suit and elastic fins he was wearing that day. “Slapping a flipper in the water creates the kind of low-frequency sound waves that sharks tune in to, and that’s probably what attracted the bull to me,” he said. “As it was early morning and overcast, and since the water was muddy brown, the bull shark would not have been able to clearly see my silhouette and conclude that I was not one of its usual food sources, such as fish, dolphin or even another shark”. Paul de Gelder now works as a motivational speaker (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) He now works as a motivational speaker and has written a book on shark advocacy. “Shark attacks are rare and should be considered accidents and not murders,” he said. “With the exception of shipwreck survivors, almost all shark attack victims are in the water because the ocean is a magical place they love. “Sharks are part of that magic and we must always remember that we are guests in their home.”