Fisherman bitten by shark near Bahamas rescued by Coast Guard

MIAMI - A fisherman who was bitten by a shark near the Bahamas was pulled to safety by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew after his mates tightened a tourniquet around his arm.

The crew from Air Station Miami rescued the man from a fishing boat near Bimini on Monday afternoon and airlifted him to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he was in stable condition, an agency news release said.

The 51-year-old man's mates on the Shear Water fishing boat called the Coast Guard around 12:50 p.m. Monday, reporting that he had been bitten by a shark while fishing. They said he was losing blood, so they placed a tourniquet around his arm to prevent further blood loss.

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After a Coast Guard flight surgeon recommended medical evacuation, Air Station Miami launched a helicopter crew and airplane crew to the scene.

"This was the best possible outcome to a truly terrifying situation," said Sean Connett, command duty officer at Coast Guard District Seven. "This individual was fortunate a fellow crew member was able to render aid prior to the Coast Guard’s arrival which, allowed for a quick extraction from the vessel."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.