A fatal shark attack has occurred in New South Wales, Australia and a seaman is recovering after losing his leg to a shark in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tim Thompson, 31, was surfing at Shelly Beach in Australia Sept. 5. Around 10:30 a.m. a suspected white shark severed the Woolgoolga man’s right arm and injured his back.
Witnesses reported Thompson screaming for help and several surfers quickly came to his aid. Good Samaritans assisted Thompson to shore where a makeshift tourniquet was applied.
Four ambulances and a Westpac helicopter were dispatched to the scene. Despite treatment by a critical care doctor and paramedics, Thompson succumbed to his injuries on the beach.
“To the crew of surfers down at the beach, thank you for being brave, getting him to shore and for doing whatever you could to try and save him,” Tim’s pregnant wife Katie posted. “Thank you to the first responders, paramedics and lastly the Westpac rescue helicopter thank you.
“You were Tim’s favourite charity. He would always donate whatever cash we had and say “I hope I never need you”. Well, turns out he did need you and you were there. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express how grateful I am that you all tried your best for him.
“I hope Timmy is up there doing what he loves surfing the best barrels and watching over us. May he Rest In Peace.
“Cuddle your loved ones that little bit tighter and tell them you love them. It’s what Timmy would tell us to do in times like these,” she said.
A GoFundMe has been created to help with Thompson’s funeral arrangements and future care of his child.
Surf Life Saving NSW attempted to search for the shark but were thwarted by heavy rain.
The beach was reopened on Monday after no shark activity was spotted.
In the United States, a seaman lost his leg to a shark in the Gulf of Mexico.
An unidentified fisherman aboard the Moon Glow fishing vessel was about 35 miles southeast of Grand Isle, Louisiana, Sept. 3.
Just before midnight a 64-year-old man was untangling fishing net from the propeller when he fell overboard.
An unidentified species of shark partially severed the man’s leg. He was pulled back on board and a tourniquet was applied to the limb.
Crew called authorities and after consulting with a Coast Guard flight surgeon, a medivac was recommended. A MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans.
A rescue swimmer was lowered to the vessel and a new tourniquet was applied to the leg. The man was airlifted to the University Medical Center New Orleans in critical condition.
Both locations have been marked on the 2021 Shark Attack Map.
