Man stranded in shark-infested waters uses his watch to get rescued. Here’s how

New Zealand police, in a statement, said that it was a ‘miracle’ that the man was still alive after being stranded in shark-infested waters.

A man trapped in shark-infested waters was rescued, thanks to the way he used his watch. As per reports, he used the reflection from his watch as a help signal. Three fishermen saw the reflection and rushed to his aid. The New Zealand police said it was a ‘miracle’ that the man was alive.

The man was rescued by three men who went out fishing (Representational image). (Unsplash/Dario Brönnimann)

The man, who doesn’t want to be named, was on a solo fishing trip when he fell overboard from his boat, reports the BBC. At first, he tried to swim towards the land. However, he gave up after repeatedly being dragged away by the currents. Ultimately, he found himself trapped with sharks all around. At one point, a shark came too close to ‘have a sniff’ but later swam away.

"He endured a cold night in the ocean, too exhausted to keep swimming,” the police shared in a statement, reports the BBC.

How was he rescued?

The man used the reflection of his watch in the hopes that someone would see it. His idea eventually worked. Three fishermen, Mike, Tyler and James, spotted it and set out to investigate the reflection. They found the man, rescued him and took him to the nearby town to get proper medical treatment. He was treated there for exhaustion and hypothermia.

"It's an absolute miracle the fisherman is still alive after the ordeal," police said.

Talking about the rescuers, they added, “Without the quick actions of the three gentlemen that retrieved him, this certainly would have had a tragic outcome. The boaties did an absolutely stellar job and without a doubt saved this man's life."

The boat, a 40-foot (12-metre) vessel, from which the man fell is still missing. However, police is on the lookout and is putting in efforts to find it.