INJURED – 5 August 2012 – St Leu, Reunion, Indian Ocean – surfer injured

St Leu surf point break on Reunion. A surfer had his hand and foot severed by a shark while surfing here on 5 August 2012.

A 40-year-old surfer referred to only as Fabien by linfo was attacked by a shark while surfing at St Leu point break on the west coast of Reunion island in the Indian Ocean. According to the report the shark severed (sectionnés) his foot and hand. Whether they were completely severed is not clear. The incident happened around 5.15pm local time on Saturday 5 August 2012. It is the first recorded shark attack at St Leu.

He managed to get away from the shark and other surfers nearby helped him to the shore. He was helped by a doctor who was on the beach at the time and then taken to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-Pierre where he had emergency surgery to treat his wounds.

No other details were reported.

This is the second attack in Reunion waters in 2 weeks (the attack on 23 July 2012 at Trois Bassins was fatal) and has sparked a debate on the island about hunting sharks. St Leu is in a marine reserve.

Sources:
Linfo
The Australian

PIC Source:
FlowersWay

FATAL – 23 July 2012 – Trois-Bassins, Reunion island – surfer attacked

Trois-Bassins surf spot on Reunion – the scene of a fatal shark attack on a surfer on Monday 23 July 2012.

Reports with few details say Alexandre Rassica, 22, a resident of La Reunion, died from his wounds after a shark bit through his leg while he was surfing at popular surf spot Trois-Bassins, on Reunion island.

According to media other surfers managed to bring him to shore but were unable to resuscitate him after he suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was surfing 100 metres offshore when the attack took place on Monday morning 23 July 2012.

No other details were reported.

Sources:
Reuters
Transworld Surf

PIC source:
Magic Seaweed

FATAL – 19 September 2011 — Boucan Canot beach, Reunion – surfer attacked

Boucan Canot beach, Reunion. -- Photo credit: Philippe Amiot

Mathieu Schiller, 32, was dragged off his surfboard while surfing off Boucan Canot beach on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion. The attack by a tiger shark reportedly lasted less than 30 seconds. His body was not recovered.

The incident happened on Monday 19 September 2011.

Schiller, a European team body boarding champion in 1995, was surfing with a group of surfers when the attack happened.

Witness report:

There were around 20 people in shallow water and about five surfers out deeper when it happened.

We saw the shark’s nose emerge and then the man just vanished. It was very sudden, then the animal just swam off.

According to other witness accounts the shark circled Schiller before moving in “with terrifying speed”.

Witness report:

I was waiting for a wave with my feet in the water. We saw the shark and the next thing I knew was that he screamed and raised his arm.

We then saw a cloud of red blood in the water where he had been.

Reports differ about what happened next. Some say the surfers then managed to get Schiller, who was suffering from a gaping wound in his leg, back onto his board. One  report says that the shark, which had become frenzied because of blood in the water, returned and hit the surfboard, knocking the victim back into the water. Another report says that a wave hit the board and Schiller fell off and disappeared beneath the surface.

Rescuers in a dinghy searching later for the body reported that a 4 metre bull shark had struck the dinghy trying to overturn it.

Sources:
The Local

EuroSport Yahoo

Mail Online

PIC Source:
The Local

INJURED – 6 July 2011 – Roches Noires, Saint Giles, Reunion – surfer attacked

Arnaud's surfboard following an attack at St Giles, Reunion

In a brief report, Arnaud (no second name reported), 15, was bitten by a shark while surfing at Roches Noires, Saint Giles, Reunion. The incident happened on 6 July 2011.

According to the report he was surfing at the exit to the harbour breakwater when he was attacked by what is believed to be a tiger shark. He escaped with minor injuries – “some scratches to the nose and ankle”.

He shouted for help and was rescued by lifeguards on a jet ski. He was taken to Gabriel Martin Hospital and was discharged a little later.

He surfboard was badly damaged in the attack.

No other details were reported.

Sources:

Linfo.re

INJURED – 19 February – Three Rocks, Saint-Gilles, Reunion – surfer attacked

A surfer, 32 , (name not released) had his leg bitten off below the knee by a shark  while he was surfing at Three Rocks, Saint-Gilles, Reunion. The incident occurred at 6pm on Saturday 19 February 2011.

Several surfers in the water at the time of the attack said they heard the man scream for help. He was conscious when he was evacuated from the water.

It was reported that he had just arrived with his family on Reunion that morning  to surf.

No other details were reported.

Source:
GlobalSurfNews