Kiter attacked by shark off Kitebeach on Maui yesterday

[ricki]

"A kite surfer suffered injuries to his right leg and calf in an apparent shark attack incident at Ka’a Point in Central Maui on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 31, 2013, officials said.

The incident was reported at 3:19 p.m. about 300 yards offshore in the Kaʻa area of Kanahā Beach Park, according to incident reports. Witnesses say the victim fell off his kite board into the water , when he was bitten while hanging onto his board, according to reports from the Aquatic Resource and Enforcement personnel from the Maui Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources."


MAUIWatch FB page


"According to DLNR reports, the man made it to near shore waters where he called for help that he had been bitten by a shark, and was assisted to shore by witnesses in the area. Fire officials say the man was alert, and reported that he got himself to shore by kite boarding from quite a distance out. Crews from the Maui Fire Department’s Haz Mat team arrived on scene to find the shark bite victim already in the care of Ocean Safety lifeguards and police, said Maui Fire Services Chief Lee Mainaga.

Lifeguards applied a dressing to the man’s wound on his right calf and to lacerations in his heel area, before being transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center in stable condition, said FS Chief Mainaga. The man is reportedly a foreign visitor to Maui and was described as in his 40s."
Continued at http://mauinow.com/2013/10/31/kitesu...otted-in-area/

More at http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/2...-at-maui-beach



...

There have been several other shark attacks recently including a german snorkeler whose arm was taken on August 16, 2013. Very tragically, she later died as a result of her injuries. This was the first fatal shark attack in Maui since 2004.

On Tuesday, August 13, a shark bit an unmanned board about a quarter mile offshore of Ka?a Point near Kanaha Beach in Central Maui. No one was injured in that incident.

Wednesday July 31, 2013, a woman from California was treated for shark bites to her torso. The attack happened in Ulua Beach area of South Maui.
http://www.digtriad.com/news/article...Attack-In-Maui



Area of Kanaha Beach, Maui
http://www.flickriver.com/



.

[nomorebikinis]

That s a lot of bites.
Is it migration or a calf period. It was day time for the kitesurfer, so ?

[ricki]

I noticed they had shark activity about a year ago at the same time. Do you recall the shark taking a bite out of a kiteboard in 2012?

I just learned the German woman later died as a result of her injuries. My sincere regrets go out to her family and friends. http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/21/us/hawaii-shark-attack/

There is some speculation about the apparent increase in shark activity in the last two years at the link below. They speculate if may involve more turtles in the area? It is hard to imagine more turtles off Kanaha than were there when I visited in 1999. There were so many it was hard to avoid hitting them while kiting.
http://mauinow.com/2013/08/27/maui-m...ing-not-ideal/

Originally Posted by nomorebikinis

That s a lot of bites.
Is it migration or a calf period. It was day time for the kitesurfer, so ?