South Africa: Teenager bitten by a shark at Plettenberg Bay
News Release
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI)
29. April 2017
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At 17h07, Saturday, 29th April, NSRI Plettenberg Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a person bitten by a shark at The Waves, a popular surf spot at Keurbooms, Plettenberg Bay.
NSRI rescue crew responded directly to the scene, the AMS/EMS Skymed rescue helicopter was placed on alert, Med-Life ambulance services responded and the sea rescue craft Free Runner, Airlink Rescuer and Leonard Smith were launched.
On arrival on the scene a 14 year old Port Elizabeth male teenager was found already on the beach with bite marks and bite lacerations to his right calf sustained from a shark bite while surfing.
He was treated by NSRI medics and by paramedics on the scene for lacerations and bite marks to his right calf before being transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition where he will receive sutures and although in a stable and satisfactory condition he will be kept in hospital overnight as a normal precaution.
The teenager was on his surf-board surfing. 2 other surfers were also out surfing there at the time. At the back-line he turned to catch a wave when he saw a fin approaching towards him, he felt a bump and he felt a bite on his right calf. He caught a wave to the beach where he was met by his dad, who had witnessed the incident, and by bystanders who rendered assistance while raising the alarm.
Shark researchers will investigate to determine the species and size of the shark but initial indications lean towards the bite being made by a White Shark of approximately 2 meters length but this has not been confirmed.
NSRI, in a statement to media yesterday, requested caution for bathers, paddlers and surfers along the Southern Cape coastline where an increased number of sightings of sharks have been witnessed close in-shore.
Source: NSRI