A spear fisherman had a lucky escape after he was set upon by a shark and bitten multiple times before managing to fight off the creature and get away.

Despite being seriously injured in the attack, doctors expect computer science student Grigor Azatian, 25, to make a full recovery after the animal ripped chunks of flesh off his legs.

The extent of any lasting damage is not yet known.

The incident took place on Friday in Monterey Bay, California, after the man went on a fishing trip with his father Armen, who realised something had gone horribly wrong when he heard his son's screams.

"It was horrifying, his muscles were torn apart," Armen told The Mercury News.


"I didn't have that luxury to panic, to scream and be emotional. I had to concentrate and do everything possible to help my son."

The animal, believed to be a great white, attacked after Grigor caught a glimpse of it and returned to the surface of the water to warn his father.

Image: The shark that attacked Grigor was believed to be a great white

But the huge shark, thought to be 15 feet long, took hold.

"The shark grabbed him and didn't let him go, and took at least two bites," said Armen.

"He tried to fight with the shark. I don't think he could do much, maybe pushing, moving his legs."

After freeing himself, Grigor managed to swim to his boat before being rushed to hospital and undergoing surgery.

"I have my son and he's alive," said Armen. "That's the best outcome I could imagine. I'm so grateful."

State fire captain Josh Silveira said the man had been badly injured but said there had not been any recent shark sightings at the beach.

However, a great white reportedly knocked over a kayaker in Monterey Bay in March but was not bitten.

According to the International Shark Attack File, 120 people have been attacked by sharks off the California coast between 1926 and January 2017.