Passing planes have helped save a terrified man who made a mayday phone call from his sinking kayak after a shark bit off the back of his craft in Moreton Bay off Brisbane.
The 39-year-old was with eight other people, on a paddle to Mud Island, when the shark attacked from the rear, biting off the back of his kayak just before 4pm on Sunday.
The kayak started to sink but the terrified paddler managed to make a desperate triple zero call and water police were scrambled to find him.
Officers did just that, after passing planes heading in to Brisbane Airport helped them track the man's location.
The damaged kayak was also recovered, with its end bitten clean off.
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Police say the man wasn't hurt, but was shaken after his close encounter with the shark about 8km east of Woody Point.
Water Police Sergeant Gordon Thiry said the man was very lucky authorities had found him in time.
"We would encourage anyone heading out on the water to always wear a life jacket, carry an EPIRB and make sure you let someone else know where you're travelling to and how long it will take, he said.
