UPDATE – 2 INJURED in separate attacks in 2 days — Primorsky Krai region, Sea of Japan, Russian Far East – 17, 18 August 2011

This is an update to the original posts
1. http://wp.me/pMcbs-f2  - 17 August 2011

2.  http://wp.me/pMcbs-fd – 18 August 2011

Both attacks took place in the Primorsky Krai region, Sea of Japan, Russian Far East. The first one in Telyakovsky Bay and the second one a day later about 30 miles away off Zheltukhin island.

The first victim, who had both his arms bitten off below the elbow, was 25-year-old Denis Udovenko.

He was swimming with his wife. They were swimming out to a small rock formation known locally as Yearning Heart Island.

“It was only about 300 feet,” his wife told Interfax news agency. “About halfway there, Denis noticed something in the water and screamed, ‘Swim faster, it’s a shark.’ ”

“He beat it on the nose, and it heaved him up and then down,” she said.

“Then the shark threw him to the surface.”

They were picked by crew in a boat.

The health ministry said in statement that Udovenko lost a lot of blood and both his arms below the elbow. But he survived.

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The second victim was 16-year-old Valery Sidorovich. He was attacked the following day about 30 miles away. He suffered a serious bite wound to the thigh.

Local scientists believe it was most likely a great white, based on witness accounts.

The New York Times reports:

Russians’ blasé attitude toward danger is a source of national pride, and despite the ban on swimming, local news media reported Thursday that beachgoers continued to take to the water.

The local branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry, perhaps expecting that many would flout the ban, posted a shark attack survival guide on its Web site.

“If a shark tries to attack you, fight it off; try to hit it in the eyes and gills,” read one advisory. “Remember,” read another, “panic could lead to tragic results.”

Source:

New York Times

INJURED – 2nd attack in 2 days in same waters in Far East Russia’s Primorye region – 18 August 2011 – Zheltukhin Island, Khasan, Primorye, Far East Russia – swimmer attacked

In a brief report a 16-year-old boy (not named) was bitten on his thigh by a shark while swimming off Zheltukhin Island in the Sea of Japan, Khasan district, Primorye region, Far East Russia. This follows a shark attack yesterday in the same district - where a man had both arms bitten off below the elbows.

The boy received “a tear wound to his thigh and his arteries are damaged”, local emergency officials were quoted as saying. He is reportedly in a serious condition in hospital in Vladivostok.

The attack happened after local authorities earlier in the day banned swimming in the area, following the earlier shark attack.

No other details were reported.

Sources:
AsiaOne

News 24

INJURED – 17 August 2011 – Telyakovsky Bay, Khasan, Primorye, Far East Russia – swimmer attacked

A report, thin on detail, says a 25-year-old man (not named) had both his arms bitten off below the elbows by a shark while he was swimming in the Sea of Japan in Telyakovsky Bay in the Khasan district of Primorye region in the Russian far east.

According to the report the attack took place about 50 metres offshore. He was also bitten on “other body parts”.

Khasan is close to the Russia-North Korea border southwest of Vladivostok. Experts say shark attacks in this region are extremely rare.

The man survived the attack, but was reportedly unconscious in serious condition in intensive care in a hospital in the Khasan district.

A witness helped the victim to get out of the water and also called rescue workers and medics, according to Interfax, the Russian news agency.

An expert was quoted as saying the shark attack was most likely related to feeding grounds as anchovies move towards shallower, warmer waters at this time of year.

No other details were reported.

Sources:

Gulf News

RIANOVOSTI