‘Anaehoʻomalu Bay on Hawai‘i Island. Photo: Shutterstock
A 62-year-old man on vacation from Utah received two bites in a shark attack while swimming in ‘Anaehoʻomalu Bay on Sunday, March 19, Hawai’i officials stated in a press release.
According to the release, the man was “swimming approximately 200 yards offshore when a shark bit his left hand. While trying to fight off the shark, he felt another bite behind his left knee.”
The man called out for help and swam to a nearby catamaran, CNN reported. The catamaran’s crew staunched the man’s bleeding until first responders arrived and whisked him to North Hawai’i Community Hospital.
As the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) “does not release victims’ names, extent of injuries, or medical condition[s],” the man’s current status is unknown.
Following the attack, officials closed the beach at ‘Anaehoʻomalu Bay for the remainder of the day and placed “shark spotted” signs at the beach’s entrance. Officials removed the signs and reopened the beach the next day following a Hawai’i County Fire Department helicopter flyover that failed to turn up any further signs of sharks.
Kaua’iNow reported on the incident, saying the size and type of shark involved is unknown.
The Florida Museum International Shark Attack File tracked 57 unprovoked shark bites in 2022, with only five worldwide fatalities. The U.S. leads the world in unprovoked bites, with 41 confirmed cases. Australia is in second at nine.
