The man who helped save a group of fishermen off WA’s south coast says the outcome could have been a lot worse.

Five men were rescued off Esperance — after their inflatable boat was bitten by a shark and started to sink Saturday evening.

Marine Rescue Esperance Commander Jamie Saunders told Millsy and Karl on 6PR Breakfast the men were cold and tired, but otherwise okay.

“They were very lucky in that it was the front chamber that got punctured; if it had got one of the side chambers they would’ve been splashing,” Mr Saunders said.

Press PLAY to hear more about the intense attack, and how the boaters survived

Images: AMSA