A horrific and gruesome scene unfolded in the waters just off of a New Zealand beach Wednesday when a man was eaten alive by what witnesses described as a group of great white sharks.
The shark attack occurred around 1:30 p.m. about 650-feet offshore from the Muriwai Beach where 46-year-old Adam Strange was gnawed by a 14-foot shark, the New Zealand Herald reports.
Pio Mose, a fisherman who happened to be in the area and witnessed the terrifying scene said that at least two other sharks joined the feeding frenzy that ensued after the initial attack.
"It's awful - it's scary like a nightmare to me. All I was thinking was I wanted to jump in the water and help but I didn't want to get attacked by a shark too," Mose said.
Reports say that as rescue crews neared the body the man was already dead and sharks were still biting at his limbs. Crews unloaded a dozen gunshots in order to retrieve the body from a shark that was reportedly killed. Medical staff who responded to the beach say the man was attacked by a great white.
Authorities say its likely that Strange inadvertently swam into the sharks as they were feeding on fish and birds in the area.
The attack came as a shock to the victim's family who have not spoken to the media. Reports say Strange was married and had a two-year-old daughter.
"The family are grieving the loss of a glorious and great father, husband and friend. We are in deep shock and are still trying to contact family who are overseas," a family friend told The New Zealand Herald in a statement.
Authorities closed all beaches in the surrounding area for several days as a precaution. Authorities say less than 20 shark attack deaths have been reported in New Zealand in the last 175 years.
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