A surfer lost part of a leg in a morning shark attack in Maui on Friday, authorities said.
The victim, identified only as a 61-year-old man, was taken to the hospital in critical condition, Assistant Chief Jeff Giesea of the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety said in a statement
Police and medical personnel were dispatched to a surf spot called “Sand Piles” at Waiehu Beach Park about 7:05 a.m. Friday, Maui County police said in the same statement.
Police officers applied two tourniquets to control bleeding before the victim was taken to a hospital. First responders said the victim lost part of a leg just below a knee.
Giesea said the man was alert while being treated.
“I would like to commend the patient for his strength and wherewithal getting himself to shore,” he said, according to NBC affiliate KHNL of Honolulu. “That’s extraordinary.”
The beach and surrounding park was closed with shark warning signs posted, the station reported. Such closures after a shark attack usually span one mile in each direction.
Shark attacks are rare. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File recorded 69 unprovoked bites and 22 provoked bites last year worldwide. Of the 36 bites in the U.S., eight were in Hawaii and one was fatal.
Surfers or people participating in board sports account for 42% of people bitten, according to the database.
Todd Miyazawa contributed.