Shark attack victim's arm reattached

An eight-year-old boy in the US is in critical condition after surgeons worked through the night to reattach his arm after it…

An eight-year-old boy in the US is in critical condition after surgeons worked through the night to reattach his arm after it was ripped off by a seven foot shark.

Jesse Arbogast was attacked on Friday while he swam at Gulf Islands National Seashore near Fort Pickens in the Florida Panhandle.

The boy's uncle wrestled the shark to shore, where emergency medical personnel retrieved the arm, said chief ranger Mr J R Tomasovic.

The shark was shot three times before it released its grip on the child.

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It appeared to have been a bull shark, known as an aggressive species.

Three surgeons and a large surgical support team worked 12 hours in shifts to reattach the boy's right arm.

Doctors said the boy's arm should grow to normal size, but it will be months before they can determine how well the limb will function.

Mr Tomasovic said the attack may have been a result of poor visibility in the water.

"Sharks have very poor vision," he said. "When it's dark outside or the water is murky, if they see something splashing about they can't identify, they may strike."