Man Killed In Shark Attack Off Maui
Yet another shark attack in Hawaii, this time leading to the death of a man off Maui. It comes just three days after a woman survived a harrowing shark attack on the same side of the island.
The Associated Press reports that a shark bit the dangling foot of Patrick Briney, 57, of Stevenson, Wash., as he fished from a kayak between Maui and Molokini, a small island that is a popular diving and snorkeling spot.
The AP says:
“Briney’s fishing partner tied a tourniquet on him and sought help from a nearby charter tour boat. The boat took them to shore, and Briney was then taken to a hospital, the state agency said. It’s unclear when he was pronounced dead.
“The kind of shark involved [was] not immediately available.”
Monday’s attack marks the 13th in Hawaii this year, with many occurring in the same general area off Maui.
In August, a German tourist was killed by a shark just a few miles from the location of Monday’s attack. In April, we reported on a kayak fisherman whose heart-stopping encounter with a large tiger shark off Oahu was caught on video.
“We are not sure why these bites are occurring more frequently than normal, especially around Maui,” Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Chairman William Aila Jr. tells AP. “That’s why we are conducting a two-year study of shark behavior around Maui that may give us better insights.”
Over the past 20 years, Hawaii has averaged about four unprovoked shark incidents per year, the state said, according to the news agency.
