An Australian man is lucky to be alive after he was attacked by a crocodile. Marcus McGowan, 51, was snorkeling off the coast of Cape York in Australia when the crocodile latched its jaws around his head.

"I was snorkeling with my wife and a group of friends, and while checking out some coral and fish and talking to a fellow snorkeller, I was attacked from behind by a saltwater crocodile which got its jaws around my head," McGowan said in a statement released by The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service.

Somehow, McGowan managed to pry open the crocodile's jaws and swim away. However, the crocodile was undeterred and continued to chase after McGowan.

"I was able to escape the crocodile's grip once again and swim to the safety of the boat, which was coming after they heard our screams for help," McGowan said.

Once they were on the boat, one of McGowan's friends bandaged him up until a helicopter arrived to airlift him to the hospital. He was assessed at a local hospital and then transported to Cairns Hospital, where he was treated for laceration and puncture wounds.

McGowan said he believed it was a juvenile crocodile that was between six and nine feet long.

"I was simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I'm just grateful it was me and not one of the kids or ladies in the group," McGowan said.

Need to Know with Jeff Angelo

Need To Know with Jeff Angelo