Surfer lucky to be alive after shark attack in Western Australia

A 41-year-old surfer said he was lucky to escape with just a leg injury after a shark took a chunk out of his surfing board.

Jason Longrass was surfing at Lefthanders beach near Gracetown in Western Australia on Monday when a shark bit his right leg.

Longrass was able to fend off the shark and swim back to shore with his surfboard taking the brunt of the bite.

Earlier that day nearby, a 37-year-old surfer named Alejandro Travaglini was seriously injured by a shark. He was treated by paramedics on the beach before flown 250km to Perth.

A World Surf League event was postponed due to the attacks.

Organisers deployed additional shark-spotting drones and jet-skis when the competition resumed to ensure competitors' safety.

A surfer was last killed by a shark at Gracetown in 2013.