Watch: Man bitten on leg, dragged underwater by great white shark

A surfer who was bitten on the leg and pulled underwater by a great white shark on Saturday has termed his rescue a ‘Christmas miracle’. Adam Coons, 37, had been surfing nearby California’s Santa Rose Island when the incident happened. Adam was airlifted to safety by a US Coast Guard chopper.

As specified by the US Coast Guard, approximately around 3:15 in the afternoon, a Good Samaritan alerted onlookers of the shark attack on the surfer.

"It felt like I just got blasted by a torpedo," he said to ABC News. "I didn't feel the bite from the adrenaline and then I was immediately [submerged] underwater getting thrashed."

Adam’s friend Jeremy Howard, who saw the attack, stated that he was dragged out in the water for about five feet.

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The US Coast Guard chopper team airlifted Adam following the attack. He was flown to paramedics at the Santa Barbara Airport, and was then taken to a local hospital. A clip of the rescue operation was shared by the US Coast Guard on Twitter.

"This was truly a terrifying and horrific situation, and I am so happy and grateful to be alive," Mr Coons told ABC News.

"I don't know why it's me and my family that get to stay together, while others have lost so much, and why I am keeping my legs and why I will have full recovery, except to hopefully inspire others to not give up on their passions and for families to hear the story of a Christmas miracle and to come together during the holidays no matter what might have been otherwise standing between them," he said while thanking the first responders and his rescuers.