The surfboard with the shark bite.Photo: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/Facebook
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)announced in a statement on Facebookthat the 56-year-old man from Lahaina was “paddling out from the old ramp” in Maui’s Honolua Bay on Tuesday when the incident unfolded.
The attack left the man with injuries that caused him to be transported to a local hospital and admitted for surgery, according to the post.
The surfboard with the shark bite.Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/Facebook
“The WSL has learned that Tuesday’s victim of the shark attack at Honolua Bay has tragically passed away,” the WSL wrote. “Our thoughts and hearts are with the victim’s family and friends as well as the entire Maui surfing community.”
A spokesperson for the Maui Memorial Medical Center did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
In a Facebook post, the DLNR said it was unclear if anyone else was in the water at the time of the incident and noted that Hawaii’s Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE) said the “water clarity was good.”
DLNR officials also acknowledged that the attack occurred while WSL was hosting a Women’s Professional Surfing Competition, but confirmed the surfer was not involved.The Star Advertiserreported that the man was only a recreational surfer.
“The organizers of the eventvoluntarily suspended the competition, as did the DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR), which had issued a Marine Ocean Water Event (MOWE) permit for it,” the DLNR wrote in the post.
The surfboard with the shark bite and missing piece.Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources/Facebook
The WSL laterrevealed in a tweet on Wednesdaythat organizers had made the decision “not to continue running the remaining heats at Honolua Bay” and were working on alternate locations in Hawaii so the other surfers could still compete.
In addition to suspending the surf competition, DLNR officials said temporary shark warnings were put up on both sides of Honolua Bay from DT Fleming Beach Park to Punalau Beach.
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The last fatality occurred in Maui, Honokōwai, which is less than five miles away from Honolua Bay, while the victim was swimming approximately 120 yards from shore, the list stated.
The most recent shark attack happened on Sept. 6 in Puakō, Kapuniau Point while someone was snorkeling about 100 yards from shore. The 2020 victim sustained lacerations to left ankle from the attack in “turbid” waters, according to the list.
source: people.com
