When a German visitor went snorkeling at Palauea Beach in Maui, she never thought that she would be the next person to fall victim to a shark attack. Unfortunately, this was the case, and the 20-year-old woman has now lost her right arm.
The attack occurred around 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. It was reported that visibility was very limited in the water, which could have been one of the factors that contributed to her attack.
She had been snorkeling approximately 50 yards offshore, and thanks to the help of fellow beach-goers, she was able to be pulled into a kayak and brought to land. Lee Mainaga, the fire services chief at the Maui Fire Department reported that her right arm had been severed below her shoulder, and that the limb wasn’t able to be recovered.
The woman’s name has not been released. We do know, however, that she was listed in critical condition at the Maui Memorial Medical Center.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman, Deborah Ward said: “It wasn’t clear what type of shark bit the woman. Witnesses interviewed didn’t see the animal. We will try to speak to the victim when she is cleared to speak with us.”
The beach was re-opened on Thursday around 12:00 p.m. Maui County officials said that lifeguards and firefighters surveyed the ocean and found no sign of sharks in the area.