La Réunion: Surfer severely injured in first shark attack this year

Helmut Nickel (mail), Shark Year Magazine,
29. August 2016

On Saturday (August 27th) shortly after 5 pm, a young man , aged 21, was attacked by a shark while surfing at the beach of Boucan-Canot on Réunion Island.
It is reported that the victim suffered major injuries (left arm and right foot severed). He was evacuated by helicopter to the Centre hospitalier Félix-Guyon in Saint-Denis. It’s the first shark incident in ‘La Réunion’ this year.

The incident occurred while boating and swimming were officially prohibited.
Last year, a new seabed-to-surface shark barrier was installed off the beach of Boucan-Canot (more info with video here).
But following an early-morning inspection on Saturday, the town of Saint-Paul had decided that the shark barrier was partly non-operational after the nets had deteriorated due to a strong swell in the night before. So, the red flag was hoisted at Boucan-Canot and all water activities were prohibited.

Shortly after the incident on Saturday, local authorities have announced that they may conduct post-attack fishing procedures in the immediate vicinity of the site of the incident. In the year 2015, a total number of 47 sharks (including one great white) were caught in Réunion Island (please see our catch summary here). At least 8 of those sharks were killed during such mandatory post-attack procedures.

Related News-Video, uploaded by Zinfos974 on 27. August 2016:

Shark Attack in La Reunion.