Shark Attack Press Releases

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 6 January, 2006 : - - A shark bite Thursday afternoon near a South County public beach sent an out-of-town surfer to the hospital, officials said. The 21-year-old man was on his surfboard about 4:45 p.m. just south of Round Island Park when the shark bit his right hand and wrist, said John Frazier, lifeguard captain for Indian River County. The shark only bit once and let go of the surfer.

The incident happened while the surfer was by himself about 75 yards from the beach and 15 yards south of the lifeguard tower. An on-duty lifeguard noticed him shaking his arm vigorously while coming out of the water. The man's name was not released Thursday evening, but Frazier said initial reports indicated he was an experienced surfer from the Pacific West Coast.

"The surfer said the shark was about 4 feet long," said Frazier, adding the species was unknown. "I think he (the surfer) is going to be just fine." The surfer suffered three puncture wounds from the shark's teeth, according to Frazier. He was taken to the Indian River Memorial Hospital by ambulance. No one else was in the water or on the beach when the bite happened.

SEASIDE , Oregon (AP) -- A man attacked by a shark while surfing off the northern Oregon coast Saturday suffered lacerations on his ankle and calf, authorities said.

The 30-year-old surfer, Brian Anderson, was "conscious, alert and smiling" on the way to Providence Seaside Hospital , said Seaside Fire Department Chief Joe Dotson.

"There was quite a bit of blood, but he was not entered into the trauma center, so I assume he will be fine," Dotson said.

Nursing supervisor Greg Bench said the surfer would be treated and released later in the night

Witnesses told Dotson the 10-foot great white shark attacked around noon at the popular surfing spot near Tillamook Head.

Dotson said it was the first shark attack off Seaside in his 26 years with the department.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A shark bit a 23-year-old New Smryna Beach surfer Sunday afternoon near a jetty where another attack happened one week ago, Volusia County Beach Patrol officers said.
The man suffered cuts to his right thumb, said Beach Patrol spokesman Scott Petersohn. An acquaintance took him to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, but the man later was transported to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach for surgery. His identity has not been released
"With all those tendons in there, it's real delicate surgery," Petersohn said.
The man had been surfing near a jetty where a 17-year-old Winter Springs teen was bitten on the thigh Nov. 20.
The New Smyrna Beach man paddled to shore and was taken to the hospital at about 2 p.m.
Petersohn said the area contains "millions of baitfish."
"It's the law of averages," he said.
"If you put your hand down in the soup enough times, you're going to get bit."
A shark bite has occurred in the area every weekend for the past three weeks, he said.
Erika Hobbs and Amy C. Rippel of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report.

Surfer escapes shark attack at Nahoon Reef
"I've got to get my board fixed; then I'll give it a couple of weeks and will be back in the water"
- Ashley Milford
By NICK PIKE
EAST London surfer Ashley Milford had a lucky escape after a "bump and bite attack" at Nahoon Reef left him with only a small cut on his finger.
But it was only one of a series of events in a truly awful day for the 26-year-old information technology specialist.
The attack came after he had fallen off a wave during a manoeuvre at high tide at about 11.30am. He got back onto his board and paddled only three or four strokes out to sea when the shark hit from underneath and knocked him off. As it rose to take a bite Milford rammed his surfboard sideways into the shark's mouth.
Milford said the shark had a "squarish snout" indicating it could have been a Zambezi, Bull or Tiger shark.
Its tooth marks on Milford's board show a bite width of approximately 20 centimetres, from teeth designed to lacerate.
The relieved East London-born surfer said: "It was not an experience I'd wish on my worst enemy."
Ironically it happened after he'd gone for "a nice relaxing surf" to de-stress from banking and traffic wrangles earlier that morning. Milford's day yesterday reads like a cartoon on "how to know when you are having a bad day".
It started when he learnt that a fraudster had accessed his banking details and taken an R11870 "loan" in Johannesburg - and repayments were now being deducted from his account. While at the bank to sort out the problem he was fined for failing to display his licence disk - which had been in the cubby-hole of his car. On top of that he had the unhappy news that he was facing retrenchment in May.
Despite his increasingly awful experiences the resilient surfing enthusiast said he would get his board fixed and be back in the water in a couple of weeks.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 November, 2005 : - - A surfer was bitten on his upper right thigh by a shark Sunday as he headed to shore at New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Officials said the shark tore into the 17-year-old's leg in just a few feet of water at about 2:30 p.m. The teenager, who is from Winter Springs, apparently never saw the shark before or after the attack.

Lifeguards took the teen to the Beachway Avenue ramp and he was then transported to Bert Fish Medical Center. He is expected to recover from the attack. It is the third shark attack in a month at the same beach

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 November, 2005 : - - A 25-year-old man survived a close call with a shark Wednesday evening while surfing just off of Pillar Point near Half Moon Bay. Tim West says a shark attacked him while he and a friend were surfing around 5 p.m. just an eighth of a mile offshore at a popular spot for surfing known as the Mavericks.

"I was laying down on my board, and it knocked me out of the water," West said. "My board got knocked two feet out of the water. I waited for the turbulence to end. I didn't know what it was." West was unharmed. He sustained not even get a single scratch. In fact, the only evidence of the attack is a shark tooth left embedded in his board.

His friend, Chris Loeswick, paddled back to shore with West after the close call. Mavericks has not seen a shark attack in more than two years. There was a shark sighting in June. Authorities are posting warnings about the shark attack and are expected to decide Thursday whether to close the beach or not. Click here to view the Kron4 Video News Report

Posted October 30, 2005
VOLUSIA COUNTY -- A 15-year-old boy received minor injuries from a shark bite Saturday at Ponce Inlet Jetty.

The boy, whose name was not released, was wading in about 2 feet of murky water when he either stepped on or put his foot in the mouth of a small shark, said Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn.
The 2- to 3-foot shark clamped down but then swam away.

Bystanders, including a nurse, treated the boy for cuts and punctures to the foot. He was taken by EVAC Ambulance to Halifax Medical Center for stitches.

Surfer Christiaan "Stiaan" van Zyl, 20, of Brackenfell, was flown to Groote Schuur Hospital by helicopter on Saturday after being attacked by a shark in chest-deep water near Gansbaai. He underwent surgery to his right foot and doctors sewed his severed Achilles tendon together.

Speaking from his hospital bed on Sunday, Van Zyl said: "It was a Great White, I saw it. I thought I was going to die." Van Zyl, an apprentice motor mechanic, was surfing alone at Uilenkraalsmond, the mouth of the Uilenkraals River east of Gansbaai, where his family have a holiday house. He was standing in chest-deep water holding onto his board, waiting for a wave when the shark attacked.

'It was a Great White, I saw it' "I was looking out to sea, maybe 50 metres from the shore when I felt it on my foot. It took me from behind.

"He brought me up out of the water and was shaking me. It was a Great White, about two to three metres, not so big. I thought I was going to die, but still you fight. I hit it on its head with my elbow, I took everything I had and hit it, and it released me and I pushed it away. It happened so fast. "In all this my left hand was still holding on to my board so I pulled myself onto it and paddled back to shore on a wave. I checked behind me and saw my foot was open and all bloody.

"When I got to the shore I tried to walk but my foot couldn't carry me. I dragged myself out on my arms and one knee. I waved to some people and they came running to help," Van Zyl said.

They put him on his surfboard and carried him through the lagoon to the beach.

"I was lying there and my mom came after someone phoned her. "I must have been in shock because I went all tight and prickly."

A nursing sister on the beach bound Van Zyl's foot to help stop the bleeding and he was taken to a local doctor who put him on a drip and stabilised him.

Dr Cleeve Robertson, head of emergency medical services in the province, said because of the long distance from Cape Town, it was decided to use the Red Cross air mercy service helicopter to get Van Zyl to Groote Schuur.

Van Zyl said he was given an epidural anaesthetic because he was so thirsty.

"I was conscious during surgery, but was on my stomach so I couldn't see what they were doing. I just kept checking out the heart monitor."

Van Zyl's mother, Marietjie, of Tokai, said her son was "very lucky" not to have lost a limb.

"He has very bad bite marks and has lost some flesh, but he will be able to walk again," she said.

She said she and her children had "almost grown up" at Gansbaai and knew the sea well.

"In all that time I've never heard of a shark biting someone. It was a big shock. We think it's because of these (shark cage diving) boats here. We hear they feed the sharks. There's never been something like this here before," she said.

Greg Oelofse of the Shark Working Group said yesterday he had not yet spoken to Van Zyl.

"He apparently says it was definitely a Great White. I'm inclined to think it's unlikely as it would have taken his leg off.

"I obviously cannot say for certain, but I think it's more likely to have been a bronze whaler or a ragged tooth shark," Oelofse said.

This article was originally published on page 1 of Cape Times on October 24, 2005

Bodega Bay, California - A surfer received a bad gash on Wednesday when a four-metre shark bit her leg in the waters off northern California and pulled her underwater, authorities said.

Megan Halavais, 20, was paddling into the water off Salmon Creek Beach in Sonoma County at around 11am when the shark attacked her from behind.

Halavais, an experienced surfer, said she got away after she hit the shark on its tail, according to sheriff's department spokesperson Roger Rude.

Halavais, of Santa Rosa, was helped from the water by other surfers. She was taken to a hospital with a bite that stretched from her thigh to her calf, Rude said. She was in a stable condition, doctors said.

The beach has been the site of several shark attacks in recent years, Rude said. Police believe the shark likely was a Great White. They have closed the beach and warned surfers in nearby locations. - Sapa-AP

VOLUSIA COUNTY -- A 15-year-old boy had cuts and punctures on his foot after a small shark bit him Saturday afternoon at Ponce Inlet Jetty.The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was wading in about 2 feet of murky water when he either stepped on or put his foot in the mouth of a small shark, said Volusia County Beach Patrol Capt. Scott Petersohn.The 2- to 3-foot shark clamped down and then swam away. Bystanders, including a nurse, treated the boy for cuts and punctures to the foot at the scene. He was taken by EVAC Ambulance to Halifax Medical Center for stitches, Petersohn said.

Surfer repels shark with punches

Saturday, September 24, 2005; Posted: 3:32 a.m. EDT (07:32 GMT)
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- An Australian surfer survived a shark attack by repeatedly punching a small shark he first thought was a seal, the second incident of its kind this month, local radio reported on Saturday.
Brad Satchell, 44, was surfing about 120 meters (390 feet) offshore at the popular Scarborough beach in Perth, capital of Western Australia state, on Friday when he was attacked.
"I actually had a smile on my face when I first saw the thing because I thought it was a seal," Satchell told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.
He said he turned his surfboard on its side to use as a shield when the shark, which he said may may have been a bronze whaler more than a meter in length, began to attack him. He was unhurt and paddled to safety.
"I lifted my body out of the water and I just got my fists and I remember what I'd read in the paper. I just started punching and I connected with its head," Satchell said.
On September 4, 40-year-old surfer Jake Heron was attacked off South Australia state's Eyre Peninsula as his two children watched in horror from the beach.
Heron was bitten on the arm and thigh and his surfboard was chomped in two by a four-meter shark but fought the shark off by kicking and punching it.
A marine biologist was killed by a shark while diving off the South Australian capital Adelaide in August, the second fatal shark attack in the area since last December.
Australia's first documented shark attack was in 1791 and there have been about 630 attacks in the past 200 years, about 190 of them fatal.
Copyright 2005 Reuters

Shark attacks research diver

Wednesday, August 24, 2005; Posted: 7:41 p.m. EDT (23:41 GMT) Expert suspects shark was a great white.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- A marine researcher is missing and presumed dead after he was attacked by a shark off a popular beach near the southern Australian city of Adelaide, police said.

Two researchers from Adelaide University were diving to collect cuttlefish eggs Wednesday when the shark attacked.Two other people in the research team's boat saw the shark coming and managed to haul one diver to safety, but they could not prevent the second diver from being attacked about two kilometers (1.25 miles) off Glenelg Beach just after 4 p.m. (6.30 a.m. GMT)."One person had made it back to the boat and the other person is missing," Police Inspector Colin Cunningham said.Police in boats scoured the sea where the attack occurred and found the missing diver's oxygen tank and buoyancy vest, but they gave up the hunt for his body as night fell.The search resumed at first light Thursday with 12 boats. Local newspapers identified the victim as Jarrod Stehbens.Acting Police Superintendent Jim Jeffery said it was "very doubtful that we will find the person alive."One man managed to scramble back into the boat in time, Jeffery said, but the one who "was still underwater, he was taken."No information on the type of shark involved was immediately available.Bob Hill, Adelaide University's head of earth and environmental sciences, said he knew the four, and all were experienced divers."I'm actually quite proud of the three of them from what I have heard ... they made every attempt they could to do the right thing," Hill said.A local shark expert, Andrew Fox, speculated that the shark responsible likely was a great white."As far as determining the species of shark, it's very likely that, other than a bronze whaler shark, the great white shark is really the only large predatory shark that's capable of actually taking a diver," he told Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio.The feared species is common in the cold waters off Australia's southern coast and also was blamed for a fatal attack on an 18-year-old surfer at a beach near Glenelg in December last year.The last fatal shark attack in Australian waters was reported in March, when a 6-meter (20-foot) great white shark tore a man in half, killing him instantly as he snorkeled off the west coast.

Sorry about the late posting of the next attack...but I was awaiting a few more.
I was surfing on Thur. July 21th at Cocoa Beach and had a large fish-like creature, about 5'long pop up right next to me while I was sitting on my board....did a count--1 dorsal fin then 1vertical caudal fin--not a dolphin..larger than waves, time to go home.

WESH ORLANDO , Fla. -- For the second time in five days, a shark has bitten a swimmer in Volusia County .

On Wednesday night, a 13-year-old girl was bitten off the Zelda Approach, just south of Ormond Beach .

Authorities said the girl was bitten twice on her left hand. There was no word on her condition as of late Wednesday night.

The chomp on the Ormond Beach man likely came from a black tip or spinner, not the aggressive bull shark, an officer says.\By Jeff Libby | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted July 25, 2005

ORMOND BEACH -- A 61-year-old surfer was resting at his home Sunday, recovering from a minor shark bite in waist-deep waters just south of Seminole Avenue .

Robert Thompson, a retired surf-shop owner and financial consultant, had just ridden in a wave about 11:30 a.m. Saturday and was kicking, heading out for another, when something clamped down on his right foot, he said.

"It was just a big chomp," Thompson said. "But my foot didn't suit his appetite, so he let me go."

Thompson paddled about 20 yards to shore, and onlookers and Volusia County Beach Patrol officers helped bandage his foot. But the cuts were minor and didn't require stitches, officers said, and Thompson returned home with his son, who was surfing with him when he was bitten.

Thompson might have been the third person bitten by a shark this year, said Scott Petersohn, a Beach Patrol spokesman. Officials have yet to confirm whether a bite on Friday just south of the Ponce de Leon Inlet was a shark.

Thompson didn't see the shark that bit him Saturday. But from witness accounts of a fin spotted in the water, he figured it may have been a 4- to-5-foot bull shark, the same type of shark that attacked two teens along the Panhandle last month, killing one and seriously injuring the other. But based on Thompson's wound, Petersohn said the shark most likely was a spinner or black tip shark, less aggressive sharks often found along the Volusia County coast.

Spinners and black tips generally bite only when they're stepped on or bumped against, Petersohn said. "They're like dogs. If you step on a dog's tail, he bites you. That's our shark bites."

A surfer in his 20s from the Orlando area also was treated for a bite to his left ankle on Friday, Petersohn said. The man told officers he stepped on something in shallow water near the New Smyrna Beach jetty and then was bitten on his other foot.

But doctors described the man's wound as a single surgical incision, suggesting that something other than a shark might have caused it, Petersohn said. With sharks, the bite typically leaves cuts and small puncture wounds along both sides of a victim's arm or leg, he said. Bait fish have been swimming close to shore, and on Saturday upwelling brought murky, cooler water inshore, Petersohn said, increasing the risk of sharks confusing surfers for prey. Even so, Petersohn said the risk was minimal, and none of the beaches was closed to swimming."We all have this fear of being eaten alive, but it's much more dangerous to drive down I-4 in rush hour," Petersohn said.By Sunday, the risk was even lower, Petersohn said. Warmer water had replaced the cooler waters, winds had died down, and the water was crystal clear, he said.Thompson, meanwhile, said his first shark bite after 40 years of surfing around the world hadn't slackened his appetite for the waves. As soon as this thing heals up, I'll be back out there. Absolutely," he said.

Thompson: 'It Was Like Being Hit With A Bear Trap
'POSTED: 11:01 pm EDT July 23, 2005 UPDATED: 12:31 am EDT July 24, 2005

A 61-year-old man is recovering Sunday after a bull shark grabbed his foot as he swam in waters off Ormond Beach , Fla. , according to Local 6 News."It was like being hit with a bear trap," Thompson said. "I went out for a little surf session and went to kick off the board and I was hit by a shark."Bob Thompson said he was hit by a 4- or 5-foot bull shark."It was like being hit with a bear trap," Thompson said. "I went out for a little surf session and went to kick off the board and I was hit by a shark."Thompson was able to free his right foot and swim to shore. He immediately warned other swimmers."I was concerned about the young girls there because if they were feeding in that area, they were 15 yards from me," Thompson said.Thompson said he has never had an encounter with a shark during his 40 years in the water.He said he will return to the water when his injuries heal.

Shark bites14-year-old in waters off Texas coast (1:15) (CNN) -- A shark attacked a 14-year-old North Carolina girl in waters off the Texas coast near Galveston on Wednesday, ripping tendons in her left foot and leaving several teeth imbedded in her tissue. The teen, Lydia Paulk, was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston , where she was in fair condition after surgery, said hospital spokeswoman Jeanette Pretorius. Paulk was attacked in waist-deep water while swimming with family and friends, said her aunt, Kit Marshall.

"She was awake when she came into the emergency room," said Dr. Kelly Carmichael, an orthopedic surgeon. "Prior to her surgery and afterward, she was awake and talking." A second, follow-up surgery is scheduled for Friday. The shark, which escaped, was about 5 feet long, Marshall said. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office said the shark may have been feeding when the attack occurred. Marshall, of Aledo, Texas, said her sister and Paulk were holding on to either end of a rubber boat -- with Paulk closest to shore -- when the shark swam by and grabbed the foot. "My sister saw the shark coming," said Marshall, who was in the boat with a younger niece. "It all just happened really pretty quick. She knew immediately what was happening because she saw the tail start wiggling." Marshall said her sister beat the water to in an effort to scare the shark away. Paulk's family lives near Charlotte , North Carolina . Marshall said she doubts the incident will prevent the group from gathering on the bay again. "I suspect that we will be back at the beach next year."

Friday, July 1, 2005 ; Posted: 3:10 p.m. EDT ( 19:10 GMT ) A 19-year-old man is bitten by a shark in Florida.( 1:41 )

BOCA GRANDE, Florida (AP) -- A shark bit an Austrian tourist on an ankle Friday while the man stood in chest-deep water in the Gulf of Mexico, the sheriff's office said.

It was the third shark attack in the state in a week. Armin Projer, 19, was airlifted by helicopter to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, where he was in good condition, hospital spokeswoman Pat Dolce said. "It is a confirmed shark attack," Lee County sheriff's spokeswoman Ileana LiMarzi said. "Someone else in the water saw a shark." Paramedics also indicated the wound was consistent with a shark bite, she said. The man was bitten near the lighthouse at Gasparilla Island Beach . "We are out there right now letting people know, notifying people on the beach about what happened," LiMarzi said. The beach was not closed to swimmers.

Two other young people have been bitten since Saturday in gulf water off Florida . The latest incident was about 280 miles from an attack Monday on a 16-year-old boy who lost his leg and about 350 miles from the spot where a 14-year-old girl was killed Saturday.

Experts believed bull sharks attacked both teens in the Florida Panhandle. The type of shark involved in Friday's attack was not immediately determined. Experts say shark attacks are rare, pointing out that there were only 30 in 2003 among the millions of people who hit the state's beaches. Most of those attacks were minor bites on the feet or ankles. Last year, when four hurricanes kept many visitors away, there were 12 attacks.

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - A boy fishing in waist-deep water Monday was bitten and critically injured in the second shark attack on a teenager along the Florida Panhandle in three days.

Craig A. Hutto, 16, of Lebanon, Tenn., was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City, where his leg was amputated. He was listed in critical condition but was expected to recover, said hospital spokeswoman Christa Hild.

The boy was attacked off Cape San Blas, a popular vacation destination about 80 miles southeast of the Destin area, where Jamie Marie Daigle of Gonzales, La., was killed by a shark on Saturday. She was 14.

The boy was fishing with two friends when the shark bit him in the right thigh, nearly severing his leg, Gulf County Sheriff's Capt. Bobby Plair said.

The three then tried to wrestle the shark off the boy, hitting it in the nose several times. The teen was pulled ashore by his friends, and a doctor who happened to be nearby began treatment before the boy was taken to the hospital, Plair said.

"It got the main arteries in the right leg," Plair said, adding that the boy lost a large amount of blood. The shark was about 6 to 8 feet long, Plair said, citing witnesses.

Gulf County has no lifeguards on any of its beaches, he said. Officials closed the county's beaches until late Tuesday morning.

On Saturday, Daigle had been swimming on a boogie board with a friend about 100 yards from shore when a shark tore away the flesh on one leg from her hip to her knee.

Erich Ritter of the Shark Attack Institute said the girl was probably attacked by a 6-foot bull shark, based on measurements of the bite wound. He said it was unlikely the same shark was responsible for Monday's attack.

After Saturday's attack, a 20-mile stretch of shore was closed to swimmers, but beaches reopened Sunday with a double staff of sheriff's beach patrol officers. On Monday, off-duty deputies were called in to beef up beach patrols and watch for sharks from the air and the water.

Florida averaged more than 30 shark attacks a year from 2000 to 2003, but there were only 12 attacks off the state's coast last year, according to figures compiled by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History.

SANDESTIN, Fla. -- A 14-year-old girl died Saturday after a shark attacked her while she and a companion were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, authorities said. The teenagers were swimming on boogie boards about 100 yards offshore when they noticed a dark shadow in the water, authorities said.

"One of the swimmers was bitten. It was the lower portions of her body," said Walton County Sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Shank. The other swimmer was not injured.

Both girls swam to shore, and the victim was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, Shank said. The girl was on vacation from Louisiana, but her name was not immediately released.

The attack happened near the Camping on the Gulf Holiday Travel Park, about 45 miles east of Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle.

Patrick O'Neill, the campground's general manager, refused to comment.

It wasn't clear what kind of shark attacked the girl, said Stan Kirkland, spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

"The girl was some distance off from the shore," Kirkland said. "I don't think anyone got a good view of the shark."

Authorities closed about 20 miles of beaches to swimming shortly after the attack. It's the height of the summer tourism season along the coast and the beaches were packed with people.

"This doesn't happen very often at all -- very, very seldom," said Mike McKee, front desk supervisor at the nearby Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort and Spa.

Florida had the largest number of documented shark attacks worldwide in 2003 with 30, according to statistics compiled by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History. There were 12 attacks off the coast of Florida last year.

In 2001, 8-year-old Jessie Arbogast was attacked by a 6 1/2-foot, 200-pound bull shark at Langdon Beach, near Pensacola. Arbogast was left brain damaged after a shark bit through his thigh and ripped off right arm above the elbow.

But shark attacks in the region are rare. The attack Saturday was the first documented in Walton County in more than 100 years, according to the International Shark Attack File Web site.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News; June 23, 2005 -- A young New Zealand girl has been killed by a shark while swimming during a holiday in Vanuatu on an island known for such attacks.Seven-year-old Alysha Margaret Webster was swimming off a beach with other people on Malekula Island in the north of the South Pacific island group when the attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon.Alysha was on a yachting holiday with her parents Grant and Sheree Webster, from Whitianga on New Zealand's North Island.T hey had sailed to Malekula from the Vanuatu capital Port Vila.A plane chartered on Thursday by the New Zealand High Commission flew the Websters and Alysha's body back to Port Vila.Malekula is well known for shark attacks and a number of local children have been killed over the years in similar circumstances, Port Vila Presse reported.High Commissioner Paul Willis said it was customary to check with a local chief or village to see if it was safe to swim in nearby waters."In this case, I understand there were local people around, so clearly the family might have had some reason to expect that it wasn't going to be too dangerous," Willis told Radio New Zealand.AdvertisementAdvertisement

The High Commission will also assist the family with their return home.A popular tourist destination for Australians and New Zealanders, Vanuatu is located east of Australia between New Caledonia and Fiji.© 2005 AAP

Surfersvillage Global Surf News; June 22, 2005 -- SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO – Mexican naval authorities were patrolling the beaches along Baja California's southern tip after a shark bit a 64-year-old Colorado man, officials said Wednesday. The man was surfing Tuesday at San Luis beach, 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of San Jose del Cabo on the Gulf of California, when he felt something bite his left foot, emergency official Francisco Cota said. The man shouted to his friends, who helped him out of the water.

Cota said sharks have been seen in the region since April, but that municipal police officers stationed on the beach have begun warning visitors that they may be lurking in the area. Since the attack, other local officials have begun monitoring the area and warning people to stay out of the water. Naval officials have also started patrolling deeper waters just off the coast, searching for sharks.

Officials said they had no reports of sharks at the popular tourist beaches of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo. However, authorities have warned people away from the beaches of San Luis, Santa Elena and Zacatitos, popular with residents of nearby areas as well as tourists interested in adventure excursions and water sports.

Shark attack bite on a left foot, in Mexico 19 June 2005 : photo Dr German Valenzuela

Shark Bites Man's Foot Near Daytona Beach Shores

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. -- A Miami man is Volusia County's first shark bite victim of the year.Alfonso Garcia was swimming in the surf in Daytona Beach Shores Saturday when he was bitten on his left foot.Garcia was taken to a Daytona Beach hospital where he was treated for a minor cut that required stitches. He was released from the hospital a short time later.

Volusia County had the highest number of shark attacks in Florida last year with three. That's down from the 13 reported in 2003.

Shark attacks surfer

May 25 2005 at 04:11PM

A surfer has received 100 stitches after being attacked by a shark at the mouth of the Kei River in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.

National Sea Rescue Institute spokessperson Craig Lambinon said Jay Catarall, 32, was surfing with two other people when the shark bit him on both buttocks and the back of both legs.

Initial reports suggested he was attacked by a ragged tooth shark. Sharks Board officials were at the scene trying to determine what type of shark it was.

Lambinon said Catarall, who was from the UK, was back at his hotel as he preferred not to stay in hospital.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Authorities were hunting Sunday for a six-meter (20-foot) shark that tore a man in half as he snorkeled off Australia's west coast, an official said. Geoffrey Brazier, the skipper of a pleasure cruiser, was snorkeling with two tourists when he was attacked Saturday. He died instantly off the Abrolhos Islands, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of the Western Australia state capital, Perth, police said. No one else was injured. " The 26-year-old man was bitten in half by the six-meter animal and death seemed to be instantaneous," police Inspector George Putland said. An air and sea search of the area 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of the coastal town of Geraldton on Sunday failed to find the shark or human remains. Government fisheries officer Rory McAuley said authorities wanted to kill the shark, suspected to be either a great white or tiger, to safeguard the public. Residents of the area said the killer was far larger than sharks usually found there. The attack was the first to occur off the west coast since two sharks killed a 29-year-old surfer south of Perth in July. The 13 crew and passengers disembarked Sunday at Geraldton where they were questioned by authorities. The fatality is the first in Australian waters since December, when an 18-year-old surfer was bitten in half by a five-meter (16-foot) great white shark off a beach in the southern city of Adelaide. A week earlier, a shark killed a 38-year-old diver spear fishing on the Great Barrier Reef off northeast Australia.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 February 2005: - - Officials will decide Thursday whether to re-open North Shore beaches after a shark incident Wednesday afternoon. A California visitor was bumped off his surfboard by a shark at Rocky Point near Sunset Beach. Beaches all along the North Shore were closed because of the close call, and shark sighting signs were posted.

Greg Long's board was hit by the shark, but it didn't bite him. "Out of nowhere just got launched up out of my board, he came up from straight underneath and hit right underneath the board and threw me right into the air," Long said. "And I landed basically right on top of him, right next to him. If I was lying on my board he must have missed me by no more than a quarter of an inch. So, I'm the luckiest man alive on the North Shore as far as I can say."

Even with the warning signs posted, surfers still hit the water. Long says he does not plan to stop surfing. Statistics show Florida has had the most shark attacks, followed by California, Texas and Hawaii in 2004.There were seven deaths worldwide, including one in Hawaii, in 2004. Investigators suspect it was a tiger shark that killed Maui surfer Will McInnis last April.

A 46-year-old man was hospitalised after being bitten on the legs 11 times by a shark while diving off Binningup, in Western Australia.

The diver was on a fishing trip with two friends and was collecting crayfish when the attack occurred.
A shark estimated to be 3m in length, seized the diver from below as he was returning to the surface. In the ensuing struggle, the man suffered a series of 11 bites to his legs, resulting in severe blood loss. Fortunately his friends were able to pull him back aboard their 4m-long fibreglass boat and summon the emergency services.

The type of shark involved in the attack is currently unknown, as the diver was unable to identify it.
Statistics gathered by the International Shark Attack File show that there are very few shark attacks on divers, but the majority of attacks happen when divers are spearfishing and are carrying their catch.
This incident comes just two weeks after two men claimed to have been attacked by a 3.5m-long grey nurse shark while diving off Bass Point, New South Wales, Australia. The shark allegedly circled the divers before ripping the flipper from one of the men's feet. Neither was injured in any way.
Grey nurse sharks are considered docile and there appear to have been no unprovoked attacks on divers - until now. There were no sightings of the shark in the area afterwards

The yearly total of 55 unprovoked attacks was lower than the 63 unprovoked attacks recorded in the year 2002, 68 recorded in 2001, and 79 reported in 2000. Four fatalities occurred in 2003, a total similar to the three recorded in 2002 and four reported in 2001, but much lower than the 11 fatalities in 2000. The 41 attacks in United States territorial waters (including incidents in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Johnson Atoll) were less than the 2002 (47), 2001 (50) and 2000 (54) yearly figures. Elsewhere, attacks occurred in Australia (6), Brazil (2), South Africa (2), Fiji (1), India (1), Madagascar (1), and Venezuela (1).Florida (31) had most of the unprovoked attacks in the United States. This total also was lower than the 2002 (29), 2001 (34) and 2000 (37) average yearly figures. Additional U.S. attacks were recorded in Hawaii (4), South Carolina (3), California (1), the Virgin Islands (1), and Johnson Atoll (1). Within Florida, Volusia County had the most (14) incidents (down from 18 in 2002 and 22 in 2001), which largely is attributable to very high aquatic recreational utilization of its attractive waters by Florida residents and tourists, especially surfers. Other Florida counties having attacks in 2003 were Brevard (8), St. Johns (3), Martin (2), Palm Beach (2), Miami-Dade (1), and St. Lucie (1).

The yearly total of 60 unprovoked attacks was lower than the 72 unprovoked attacks recorded in the year 2001 and 85 in 2000. Three fatalities occurred in 2002, down from five in 2001 and 13 in 2000. The 5% fatality rate was significantly lower than the 1990's decade average of 13%. The three fatalities occurred in Australia (2) and Brazil (1).

As in recent years, the bulk (82%: 48 attacks) of incidents occurred in North American waters, including 47 from the United States and one in the Bahamas. The 47 attacks in the United States were less than the 2001 (53) and 2000 (54) yearly figures. Elsewhere, attacks occurred in Australia (6), Brazil (3), South Africa (2), and Costa Rica (1).

Following recent trends, Florida (29) had most of the unprovoked attacks in the United States. This total also was lower than the 2001 (37) and 2000 (38) yearly figures. Additional U.S. attacks were recorded in Hawaii (6), California (4), North Carolina (3), South Carolina (2), Oregon (1) and Texas (1). One attack occurred in offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Within Florida, Volusia County had the most (18) incidents (down from 22 in 2001), which largely is attributable to very high aquatic recreational utilization of its attractive waters by Florida residents and tourists, especially surfers. Other Florida counties having attacks in 2001 were Brevard (3), St. Johns (3), Broward (1), Franklin (1), Martin (1), Monroe (1), and Palm Beach (1).

Surfers (32 incidents: 56% of cases with victim activity information) were the recreational user groups most often subjected to shark attack in 2001. Other attacks involved swimmers/waders (22: 34%), and divers/snorkelers (4: 7%). One attack (2%) occurred during a water entry event.

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Stats/Maps Global Attack Info	See Attack Graph		From July 2000 (archive)	'Summer of Shark' 2001 Archives' 2002 archive 2003 archives
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Shark attacks research diver

Wednesday, August 24, 2005; Posted: 7:41 p.m. EDT (23:41 GMT) Expert suspects shark was a great white.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- A marine researcher is missing and presumed dead after he was attacked by a shark off a popular beach near the southern Australian city of Adelaide, police said.

14-Year-Old Girl Killed In Shark Attack Off Florida's Gulf Coast POSTED: 3:54 pm EDT June 25, 2005 UPDATED: 5:28 pm EDT June 25, 2005 -another CNN Link Sunday, June 26, 2005; Posted: 10:40 a.m. EDT (14:40 GMT) - Orlando Sentinel article

Shark Bites Man's Foot Near Daytona Beach Shores

14-Year-Old Girl Killed In Shark Attack Off Florida's Gulf Coast POSTED: 3:54 pm EDT June 25, 2005 UPDATED: 5:28 pm EDT June 25, 2005
-another CNN Link Sunday, June 26, 2005; Posted: 10:40 a.m. EDT (14:40 GMT)
- Orlando Sentinel article