**WARNING: Video contains graphic content***
A man was attacked by a shark in the Florida Keys, but this time, the shark decided not to let go.
Ervin McCarty was caught on video with a 2 to 3 foot-long nurse shark latched onto his abdomen. McCarty and others were on a fishing boat diving off the coast of Marathon when the incident happened.
Though small in stature, removing the shark proved a taller task than expected.
“Get this damn thing off of me,” shouted McCarty.
The shark tried to pull him underwater, but after a 20-minute struggle, the shark was pulled off McCarty. “I thought I was drowning,” said McCarty.
McCarty said he was out of breath and lacked energy in order to keep the nurse shark from shaking.
**WARNING: Video contains graphic content***
After a medical check-up, McCarty said he’s ready to go back into the water.
“I’ll continue to fish. I’ll continue to snorkel,” he said. “Just make sure there’s not a nurse shark around.”
Researchers have said that while nurse sharks are generally gentle, they will bite if they’re provoked.