Grigor Azatian was spearfishing in one of his usual spots near Pebble Beach when the unthinkable happened. As he dove into Stillwater Cove he was attacked by a 15-foot great white shark. Authorities think Azatian–who was with his father at the time–was bitten several times, causing massive bleeding.
Two off-duty Monterey County sheriffs deputies happened to be fishing nearby at the time and hurried to help assist the 25-year-old Asatian. “In that moment it was just a shock for me,” said Armen Azatian, the spearfisherman’s father. “It was a horrifying scene. My thought was just to try and help him to stop the bleeding.”
The two were apparently fishing from a boat when the incident occurred. Azatian was airlifted to a hospital in Salinas where he underwent successful surgery. No arteries were severed and he is expected to make a full recovery, despite the heinous nature of the bites.
