Angus Kockott's recovery after a shark attack - and the support that made it possible

In May 2024, 22-year-old Angus Kockott was working on a yacht that was sailing across the Pacific. While in French Polynesia in the South Pacific, Angus went free diving.

A 2.5-metre shark attacked him and severely injured his left arm. "The pain was incredible. I could feel the shark's teeth against my bones," he recalls.

Angus grew up near East London in the Eastern Cape and spent much of his life in the ocean and was used to being around sharks.

Reflecting on the moment, Angus says: "In the movies, time slows down when something like that happens. And it really felt that way for me too. I had enough time to think through everything as if it were happening in slow motion."

When Angus saw the shark approaching, he instinctively covered his face and neck with his left arm. "I grabbed a small diving knife from my wetsuit pocket and stabbed the shark several times in its gills," he says. When it swam away, Angus - bleeding heavily - swam to a nearby coral outcrop. He used his goggles to make a tourniquet and shouted to alert his best friend and the rest of the crew.

Emergency medical care after a shark attack - treated far from home

Angus' crewmates sailed for two hours through shallow coral reefs, where a boat could easily run aground, to reach the small island of Mangareva. A police vehicle rushed him to the local clinic.

"All the clinic staff were at home for their siesta (afternoon nap), which meant I almost bled out on the clinic floor while we waited for everyone to run back to work," Angus recalls.

Angus was eventually stabilised at the clinic. From there, a French military aircraft airlifted him to the nearest hospital, which was almost 2,000km away on the island of Tahiti.

"More than twelve hours after the attack, I arrived at the hospital in Tahiti for emergency surgery, which lasted over four hours," he recalls.

"What the surgeons achieved was nothing short of a miracle - reattaching as many tendons, nerves and muscles as possible to save my arm."

After two weeks in Tahiti, Angus was stable enough to fly back to South Africa. Once home, he underwent two skin graft operations and began months of occupational therapy to regain strength and movement in his arm and hand.

"That was the big work," he says.

How Discovery Health Medical Scheme supported Angus through international and local care

Angus had travel insurance and that covered his international medical bills. Angus is a Discovery Health Medical Scheme member. "While I was in Tahiti, my family contacted the Scheme to explain what had happened," says Angus.

"The Scheme was so on the ball. While I was in Tahiti, someone from the Scheme called me every day to check that I was being looked after and had everything I needed."

When Angus returned to South Africa, Discovery Health Medical Scheme immediately took on supporting his transition into getting further treatment.

"I went straight from the airport to the hospital. Discovery Health Medical Scheme had already arranged everything. It was seamless, and I always felt like I was in capable hands."

Discovery Health Medical Scheme covered all of Angus' surgeries and follow-up appointments in full. His occupational therapy was also funded under his access to Prescribed Minimum Benefits. "I really felt looked after during a very stressful time."

A long and uncertain recovery after severe nerve and arm injuries

Angus' recovery was not straightforward, and the uncertainty took its toll. "Looking back now, I realise I was quite depressed for several months. I had no idea if my hand would recover or if I'd ever be able to sail, surf or dive again."

"I wasn't regaining function in my hand as expected. I couldn't open my hand or move my thumb." Doctors faced the difficult decision to operate again to investigate possible nerve damage, or wait. "If they had operated and nothing was wrong, they would have risked causing more damage," Angus explains.

After further testing, the decision was made to operate again. "My radial nerve - one of the three major nerves in the arm - was still severed and surrounded by a neuroma, which is thickened nerve tissue that formed as my body tried to heal itself. That explained why there had been no improvement."

Surgeons repaired the nerve using a graft taken from a nerve in Angus's right foot. "Now I have about 70% function in my hand and about 60% in my ring and pinky fingers. I still can't fully open my hand when I lift it upright from the wrist, and reaching for something on a high shelf can be tricky. But I manage. I can do most things I need to do in daily life, which means a lot to me."

Returning to the ocean after Angus' trauma - rebuilding confidence and independence

Six months after the attack, Angus got back into the water to attempt surfing once more - something he feared he might never do again.

"I was worried that I wouldn't be able to paddle out because of my injuries, but I did it and it was amazing! I was so happy. My friend who witnessed the shark attack was there when I caught my first wave, and that made it unforgettable."

Just over a year after the attack, Angus also returned to diving. "I still feel a bit nervous when I dive, but I'm confident that will improve over time."

Angus, a licensed skipper, is now back to doing what he loves - spending time on and in the ocean. When Discovery Health Medical Scheme spoke to Angus in February 2026, he had just arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, during a sailing trip around Tasmania.

After sharing his story on Instagram, Angus gained more than 40,000 followers. "Things have been falling into place over the past year. The videos I posted online reached far more people than I expected, and that channel has opened up some great opportunities. Overall, I'm doing what I love again, which is fantastic."

The experience has changed Angus' outlook on life too.

"I feel much more appreciative of everything, and I feel more confident too. After surviving and coming through something so difficult, I feel like I can face any challenge."

He hopes his story encourages others: "If you've had a bad experience while doing something you love, don't let it stop you from following your passion. Face your fears and keep doing what makes you happy."

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