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” in Waiehu Beach Park around 7:05 a.m. Friday, Maui County police said in the same statement.
Police officers applied two tourniquets to control the bleeding before the victim was taken to a hospital. First responders said the victim lost part of a leg just below the knee.
Giesea said the man was alert while being treated.
“I would like to commend the patient for his strength and the means to get to shore,” he said, according to NBC affiliate KHNL from Honolulu. “That’s extraordinary.”
The beach and surrounding park were closed with shark warning signs, the station reported. Such closures after a shark attack usually cover a 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 worldwide last year. Of the 36 bites in the US, eight occurred in Hawaii and one was fatal.
According to the database, surfers or people who participate in board sports account for 42% of people bitten.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
