Christopher Lastra: Solo spearfishing diver narrowly avoids getting chopped up by speeding boat in Hawaii

ALSO READ 

Nida Patcharaweeraphong: Thai actress, 37, dies after mysteriously falling off speedboat

'It was something out of fairy tale': Scuba diver rescued by group of 'mermaids' off Santa Catalina Island

Lastra was not hurt in the accident, although his flipper was slashed. Further in the video, the driver of the speeding boat circles around Lastra to make sure he is safe and sound. Lastra signals he is alright and apologizes for his carelessness. "I'm alright. I lost my fin," he yells "that was my fault. I didn't have a buoy. I should have stayed under, to be honest."

Reacting to the incident, US Coast Guard Diving Supervisor of the Honolulu Sector, Kendall Smith, said under the state law it is mandatory to fly a 12-by-12 dive flag while snorkeling, spearfishing, or diving. "If someone was diving and had a diver-down flag, it's a no-wake zone for 200 yards outside of that diver-down flag or buoy. In this instance, he is lucky to be alive," Smith said according to CNN. "I noticed in the video he was by himself. He should always dive with a buddy and have a plan and hope for the best, but always be prepared for scary incidents like that," Smith added.

Lastra, who has been diving for the last 10 years, is originally from Santa Barbara, California, where there are no laws requiring a dive buoy. After the incident, Lastra said he has learned his lesson, and he was "grateful to be alive." “Your life flashes before your eyes you when you face death, but for me, I was just thinking I’m an idiot,” said Lastra. “I should have had a buoy out here. I knew the law and I just decided not to bring it,” he said.

Lastra accepted full responsibility for what he described as a 'bad decision' not having a buoy. “So, in that split second, I was just thinking bad decision,” said Lastra. “But last week, I lost my buoy in the current so decided I would go without a buoy. And thinking it’d be OK, but obviously, was not.” he added.