Florida man left bleeding on boat after nightmare shark attack

A man is in critical condition after he was bitten by a shark in Florida over the weekend. The man suffered from "severe" blood loss, according to officials, and was found on a boat.

The incident occured on Friday on the east coast of the state, according to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit. Officers from the unit said they responded to a distress call from a boat on the Amelia River near Fernandina Beach that morning.

When they arrived to the scene, they found the victim onboard with a “severe” shark bite on his right forearm. He was losing blood and was quickly airlifted to a nearby hospital.

• Map shows most dangerous place in US for shark attacks as 'unprovoked encounters' on rise

• Woman swallowed by 13ft shark while swimming with friends - and nobody noticed

“Acting swiftly, a deputy boarded the vessel and applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding,” the sheriff’s office said.

It is believed that the man was fishing and accidentally caught the shark before it bit him. The man is expected to recover.

The incident marks the states third recorded shark attack this month. Three swimmers where injured after two other separate attacks on the Gulf Coast of Florida earlier in June.

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here .

One woman had part of her arm amputated and a teenage girl received "significant injuries".

At another beach just miles away and on the same day, two teenage girls were attacked while in the water. The events led to the led to the temporary closure of beaches in Walton County.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .