A swimmer has died after being attacked by a shark off New Caledonia.
The unidentified amateur yachtsman was moored near Maitre Islet beach Feb. 28 in the French Pacific territory when he went for a swim.
Around 11 a.m. the 57-year-old man was about 100 meters from his boat, and about 50 meters from the beach, when he was bitten on the leg by a tiger shark.
A jet-skier and two paddlers saw the man waving and screaming and came to his aid. The jet-skier used his ski to push the shark away from the man as he was pulled into a boat.
The man was bleeding heavily as he was being pulled into the boat, and lost consciousness. A doctor and two nurses were already on scene and attempted to treat him while a rescue helicopter was dispatched.
Unfortunately, the man’s femoral artery had been severed, and it is believed he died from a heart attack. An autopsy later concluded the man was bitten by a 13-foot tiger shark with a 36-centimeter jaw size.
Firefighters closed the beach and warned several kite surfers enjoying favorable conditions and water activities that it was closed until Monday.
A tiger shark and 6-foot bull shark were spotted in the area after the attack and the southern province has agreed that both should be killed.
The last fatal shark attack in New Caledonia was reported in 2019.
Boris Bouanaoue, 43, was searching for sea cucumbers May 29 with two of his cousins in the northern part of New Caledonia.
The trio was on Cook Reed in the Belep Archipelagos in 3 feet of water when the Bouanaoue became separated from the group. He was found unresponsive with a shark bite on the back of the calf from the knee to the ankle..
After being carried to the boat, his cousins tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful.
A few days earlier, a child was severely injured by a shark.
Anthony Guillon Larrouy, 10, was swimming in a restricted area off Noumena when a shark grabbed his leg May 25.
The shark severed the young man’s lower leg, genitals, and injured his abdomen and lower intestine. His father was able to pull him to the safety of the boat and then to hospital.
Earlier this year a filmmaker was bitten by a tiger shark.
An unidentified documentary filmmaker was with a group searching for whales when they donned snorkeling gear about ½ mile off Ile Verte lagoon.
A small group was about 65 feet from the boat when they spotted a large tiger shark that began to circle them. The shark came from below and bit one member’s son the right calf. The woman was able to fight the shark, which released its grip.
A friend helped the woman back to the boat where she received first-aid and then was taken back to the mainland.
All locations have been marked on the 2021 Shark Attack map.
