In a remarkable display of quick thinking and raw survival instinct, a London advertising executive fought off a four-metre shark that had clamped its razor-sharp teeth into his foot by repeatedly punching the predator in the face.
Andrew Phipps Newman, 45, was on holiday in the Galapagos Islands near Ecuador when the terrifying encounter unfolded. While attempting to film a sea lion resting on a rock with his GoPro camera, Newman suddenly felt a strong tug on his foot. Initially, he believed someone was playing a practical joke. But when he looked down, he realised the horrifying truth: he had become the prey of a large shark.
“I punched him, GoPro in hand, harder and harder until he let go,” Newman recounted. “I just went into automatic mode.”
The shark had bitten down to the bone. Newman suffered a broken bone and three severed ligaments in the attack. Despite the severe injury and heavy bleeding, he managed to free himself through sheer determination.
What followed was an agonising three-hour boat journey to the nearest hospital. One of the passengers on board was a fellow Londoner and doctor, Kathryn Gilbert, 27, who had previously worked in the A&E department at St George’s Hospital in Tooting. Dr Gilbert immediately sprang into action, using bandages and towels to stem the bleeding.
“It was quite the experience, as unsurprisingly I’ve never dealt with a shark bite working in the UK,” Dr Gilbert later said.
To cope with the intense pain during the journey, Newman “self-medicated” with a couple of shots of tequila and a mojito cocktail, while fellow passengers continued to assist him.
In the aftermath of the ordeal, Newman reflected deeply on the experience. Speaking to the Evening Standard, he said: “When I close my eyes, all I can see is the shark’s white eye and my foot in his mouth.”
He added: “What I ultimately found was how precious my life is and how happy I am to be alive.”
Newman, who co-founded the advertising agency DOOH.com in 2013, was eventually transferred to hospital care. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the untamed wilderness that draws adventurous travellers to remote destinations like the Galapagos Islands — and the extraordinary resilience required when nature strikes without warning.
While shark encounters remain relatively rare, Newman’s story stands out for the presence of mind he displayed under extreme pressure. His survival highlights both the fragility and the remarkable strength of the human spirit when faced with life-threatening danger.