A shark attacks a surfer in Hawaii, and family and friends witness the entire incident. It has been confirmed that a surfer named Colin Cook lost most of his leg after being bitten by a large shark in Oahu.
A shark attacked a surfer in Hawaii, and the story is grabbing headlines. According to Hawaiian officials, on Friday, a surfer by the name of Colin Cook was surfing at Leftovers Beach in Oahu when he was attacked by what was believed to be a tiger or Galapagos shark that measured about 10-12 feet long.
The shark chewed most of Cook’s leg off, but he survived the horrific ordeal by punching the animal multiple times. The fight with the sea creature led to him injuring his hands.
As he was struggling with the shark, countless strangers, friends and family members swam to his aid. Despite his injuries, the 25-year-old was able to swim to a kayaker nearby, who eventually led him to the shore. Cook’s cousin, Chris Webster, explained:
“He swam on his own free will to another surfer who threw him onto his board and paddled him straight to shore.”
Shayne Enright, of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, also revealed that beachgoers had the brilliant idea to use Cook’s surfboard leash to create a tourniquet and help stop the bleeding.
The surfer was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, and doctors were forced to amputate one of his legs. Webster went on to add that his cousin is a native, who loved surfing. According to Webster, the family is heartbroken by the news, but Cook is positive and in high spirits.
Braxton Rocha, who was attacked by a 13-foot tiger shark in Hawaii around the same time, told local reporters that he was shocked to see the news. The survivor stated:
“I’m speechless right now. I just want to wish him a speedy recovery, and hope he gets back into the water soon. I hope what happened doesn’t make him feel any differently towards sharks or the ocean.”
Data from the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida showed that there will be more shark attacks in 2015 compared to 2014. There have been 23 attacks in 2015, of which one in Hawaii was fatal. According to experts:
Typically, the U.S. sees about 30 to 40 attacks, of which either zero or one is deadly.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Colin Cook, you can donate here.
What are your thoughts on the rise of shark attacks?
