A surfer was attacked by a shark on Tuesday morning near Honolua Bay in Hawaii, forcing the suspension of a surfing competition, officials said.
A 56-year-old man, who was not yet identified by officials, was paddling out from the coast of Maui when the accident occurred, state wildlife officials said.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he was admitted for surgery, according to the state wildlife department. It was unclear what the man’s condition was, and how severe the injuries were.
In a photo posted on the department’s website on Tuesday, a large chunk of the surfboard can be seen missing from the rest of the plank.
The incident prompted officials to suspend the World Surf League’s Maui Pro, which began earlier this week, following the shark accident. The surfer attacked was not taking part in the competition.
“There will be no competition at the Maui Pro today following a shark incident,” The World Surf League said on Twitter on Tuesday. “The WSL is working with authorities and our thoughts are with the victim of this incident. The Maui Pro is on hold until further notice.”
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, which tracks shark attacks around the world, Hawaii has logged 171 shark attacks since 1837 — the second state, after Florida, with the most amount of recorded shark attacks.
Florida leads the U.S. with 852 shark attacks, according to the database.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
