Surfer is killed by shark in Maui: Rescuers rushed the victim to shore by jet ski but 39-year-old died of his wounds in hospital
An unidentified 39-year-old man was killed by a shark on the island of Maui, Hawaii, while surfing in Paia Bay.
Officials said they arrived on the scene around 11:19 a.m. Saturday, where Ocean Safety officers were already transporting the injured victim on a jet ski to shore.
“On shore, first responders performed life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived to transport the man to Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment,” the Maui Police Department said in a statement.
The man died from his injuries in hospital at around 5.30pm on Saturday.
The man’s identity was not immediately released pending notification of family and friends.
The 39-year-old man was surfing in the water at the time of the incident and was taken to shore by jet ski for medical treatment.
The fatal shark attack occurred in Paia Bay on the island of Maui, Hawaii, around 11:19 a.m. Saturday.
He was from Haiku, a small community on the north side of Maui.
Following the fatal incident, shark warning signs were posted along Baby Beach to Tavares Bayalong – a mile on each side of the scene.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DNLR) said the surfer was in “mixed” water conditions due to high surf.
County officials said Baldwin Beach and Baby Beach parks were closed Saturday following the incident.
“By Sunday afternoon, if no further signs of shark activity are detected, the signs will be removed,” the DNLR said in a Facebook post.
The Maui Police Department said first responders were patrolling the area on the beach and on jet skis.
This is the eighth shark attack this year, according to the DNLR’s shark incident database. In addition, this is the only case this year that ended in death.
Four of the attacks were carried out by tiger sharks, which can reach 10 to 14 feet in length.
Other attacks involved a Galapagos shark and a Cookiecutter, and one attack was carried out by two blacktip reef sharks.
Following the fatal incident, shark warning signs were posted along Baby Beach to Tavares Bay, a mile on each side of the scene.
The Maui Police Department said first responders were patrolling the area on shore and on jet skis.
It is unclear which sharks or how many sharks were involved in the attack.
DailyMail.com contacted the Maui Police Department for more information but did not receive a response in a timely manner for this report.
Hawaiian waters are home to about 40 different species of sharks, which can range in length from eight to about 50 feet.
“The most commonly seen are whitefin, sandbar, scalloped hammerhead and the occasional tiger,” the DNLR says on its website.
There were no initial signs of foul play. The investigation is ongoing and an autopsy has been ordered, police said.
Another fatal shark encounter occurred on December 2 in Mexico, when a mother was killed after her leg was ripped off by a shark as she desperately tried to save her five-year-old daughter.
Graphic video showed the aftermath of the attack as the victim lay on the sand after being helped out of the water near Melaque beach in Jalisco state.
Horrified onlookers could be heard shouting “she’s lost her leg” as they waited for emergency crews to arrive that morning.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DNLR) said the surfer was in “mixed” water conditions due to high surf.
Locals identified the dead woman as 26-year-old tourist named Maria Fernandez Martinez Jimenez, a former marine biology student at the University of Guadalajara.
Despite the quick response of rescuers, local residents identified the woman as a 26-year-old tourist and former marine biologist student named Maria Fernandez Martinez Jimenez. She died from loss of blood due to a large bite wound.
The attack on Saturday morning is believed to have taken place during a swimming competition, which was subsequently suspended.
Yesterday local authorities warned local residents and visitors to stay away from the water following the tragedy.
Well-wishers later left flowers at a makeshift altar erected on the beach at the site of the woman’s death.