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'The shark's coming straight at me': Fishermen shocked as three-metre monster jumps into boat

Two South Australian fishermen got the shock of their lives when a three-metre thresher shark dived right into their dinghy.

Jim Ewing said he had set out for a day’s fishing off Port MacDonnell with his friend Peter Feast when the unexpected visitor arrived.

“The next thing all I could see over his left shoulder was this head, these two big black eyes and a mouth and the shark's coming straight at me,” he told 7 News.

“It could well have broken his neck or if it had opened its mouth it could've lacerated an artery.”

Unfortunately, the shark didn't survive the ordeal, with the men guessing it had been out of water too long. Photo: 7 News/Supplied
Unfortunately, the shark didn't survive the ordeal, with the men guessing it had been out of water too long. Photo: 7 News/Supplied

The pair had set off before dawn on Saturday, hunting snapper and whiting, but never expected this would be the catch of the day.

“It's landed slap bang in the middle of the boat,” said Mr Ewing.

“It's tail’s thrashing all over the place. It smashed one of Peter's rods.”

Careful not to get bitten, the men secured the shark inside the small boat by tying its tail to the back seat.

They planned to head back to shore to release the animal, but by the time they arrived the shark had died.

“He'd sort of worn himself out and didn't actually live to tell the tale,” Mr Ewing said, describing the animal’s death as “tragic”.

Thresher sharks can grow to a length of six metres and are identified by their distinctive long caudal fin.