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A Professional Surfer Got Attacked By A Shark On Live TV

This video is terrifying.

Stephanie McNeal
by Stephanie McNeal

BuzzFeed News Reporter

A surfing competition in South Africa has been canceled after a surfer on Sunday had an extremely close call with a shark.

Australian surfer Mick Fanning was competing in the J-Bay Open when the shark attacked, World Surf League (WSL) spokesman Dave Prodan told BuzzFeed News.

The terrifying moment was broadcast live on a webcast.

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Luckily, Fanning is OK. "Outside of a severed leash, Fanning was physically unscathed," Prodan said.

The WSL added that Fanning and his fellow Australian competitor Julian Wilson were quickly picked up and taken to safety.

One Instagram user posted a photo of Fanning being rescued.

The three-time World Surf League champion looked pretty freaked out in a photo shared by Surfing magazine after the incident.

He told a reporter he just saw fins, and started kicking and screaming.

Fanning was quickly joined by friends after the harrowing incident.

People on social media soon began to praise Fanning for being a complete badass.

That shark didn't stand a chance.

Not today, shark.

Other people wondered what the shark had to say about all this.

Or if he was sorry.

The league announced later Sunday that it has canceled the competition, saying safety is its first priority.