A California man who survived a shark attack off the coast of Del Mar has described his desperate fight against the predator, saying he may have punched it inside its mouth before swimming through his own blood to safety. Caleb Adams, 46, recounted the ordeal in an emotional interview with NBC News, expressing gratitude for his survival.
The attack occurred on 2 June while Adams was swimming with a group of 18 others. He felt a 'strong hit' and instinctively knew it was a shark. 'I tussled with the animal for what was seconds,' Adams said, explaining that he punched the shark and felt 'a softer tissue' which he speculated was inside its mouth. He sustained several cuts on his hand and wrist.
Realising he could not make it out of the water alone, Adams yelled 'help' and 'shark'. Fellow swimmer Kevin Barrett heard the scream and rushed to assist, helping Adams swim back to shore. Adams emerged about 100 yards from a beach safety centre, where a lifeguard arrived and urged him not to look down as first responders loaded him into an ambulance.
Adams was taken to a local hospital with bites to his left hand, arm and torso. He received stitches and scars but described feeling physically strong despite his wounds. The beach was temporarily closed following the incident.
Shark attacks are rare, with only 69 unprovoked bites worldwide in 2023, 10 of which were fatal. However, Adams' case was one of at least four in the US within days, with others in Florida. White shark populations have been rising along the California coast for years.
Adams said he was grateful for the support of his 'beautiful community' as he focuses on recovery. He returned to Del Mar beach for the interview, where complex emotions about his ordeal surfaced.
