A surfer in North Carolina has reported a shark attack, while in Queensland, a spearfisherman famous for saving a shark attack victim three years ago is fighting for his own life after a bull shark attack.
It was near sunset Oct. 22 when surf instructor Erik “Marty” Martynuik saw a fin in the waters off Emerald Isle, North Carolina.
“I look over, and I see a dorsal fin! I said, oh man, that thing’s coming right toward me,” Martynuik told ABC13. “It was like the movie “Jaws,” you know, when it cruises and is gliding through the water?”
The shark quickly disappeared in the water. “It goes down, and at that time I start looking around and then BOOM!” he said. “It just nailed my board at the bottom!”
Martynuik felt his leg stinging and managed to hit the fish on the nose, causing it to let go. He was able to paddle back to shore and used surf wax and electrical tape to pack his wound. Although he was bleeding, he was more worried about the damage to his surfboard than his wounds.
Surfer Eugene Kloepell, who was in the water at the same time, confirmed he saw something chasing Martynuik. When Kloepell realized it was something big he caught a wave to shore.
The Emerald Isle town manager and police are aware of Martynuik’s report, but were unable to confirm a shark was involved. Although wildlife or medical officials cannot confirm the bite was caused by a shark, Martynuik believed it was important to make other eastern North Carolina swimmers aware.
In Queensland, spearfisherman Rick Bettua, 59, is in critical condition after being attacked by a bull shark. He had been spearing Oct. 26 on Britomart Reef off Hinchinbrook Island in Far North Queensland.
The former U.S. Navy master diver and his dive buddy Peter Kocica had spotted a couple of large bull sharks while they were in the water. On their last dive of the day, both divers shot at fish when one the sharks went after Bettua.
Although Bettua tried to protect himself, the shark grabbed his upper thigh. His friend, observing how heavily he was bleeding, pulled him to the boat and used a tourniquet to slow bleeding. Thinking fast, Kocica signaled two other boats in the area.
One of the boats had a doctor onboard and Bettua was transferred to that vessel which arrived at the boat ramp at 1:10 p.m. Paramedics and a rescue helicopter were waiting upon their arrival and quickly began working on the patient.
Initial reports indicated Bettua did not have a pulse when he first arrived at the dock. He was flown to the Townsville Hospital where he is listed in critical but stable condition.
In 2017, both Bettua and Kocica were involved in another bull shark incident, when they assisted Glenn Dickson after he was attacked by a bull shark off Hinchinbrook Island. Bettua and Kocica dragged Dickson out of the water and onto a boat where boat Bettua used his Navymaster diver skills to attach a tourniquet to Dickson’s left leg. The men have been credited with helping save Dickson’s life.
Both locations have been marked on the 2020 Shark Attack Map.
