A 23-year-old surfer was attacked by a shark in Oahu, Hawaii on September 08, 2018. The shark bit his elbow and wrist which made him bleed profusely. The man miraculously escaped from the shark attack and is now apparently recovering in a hospital.
Ryan Hailstones, a surfer who was just 20 feet away from the victim told KHON2.com that the water around him was mixed with red blood soon after the attack.
"You kind of just saw blood everywhere. It was beautiful, glassy, really good waves and all of a sudden you hear someone yelling 'Help! Shark! Help. I just saw the fin going back-and-forth, back-and-forth while he's screaming trying to fight the shark off," said Hailstones.
Hearing the loud yelling several fellow surfers sprung into action, and they brought the man to the shore. Surfers soon called 911, and an ambulance rushed to the scene.
"We safely got him to the beach and got through to one of these beach houses and called 911t the shark off. It looked like he was losing blood really quick and the tourniquet really helped," added Hailstones.
Witnesses revealed that the shark attack victim was actually a very nice guy who thanked everyone before going to the hospital.
It should be noted that Andrew Rossiter, Hawaii's director of the State Aquarium had warned multiple shark sightings in Oahu last July. The director also released that the species spotted in the waters of Oahu were hammerhead and tiger sharks.
"If they are hanging around an area, it's usually an indication there is food there. Perhaps something is dead beneath the water and the scent has attracted them there," said Rossiter.
The authorities have also warned surfers to avoid areas with an unusual amount of fish life to prevent a possible shark attack. Surfers should also avoid swimming in the waters during night, dawn and dusk. It is also recommended to surf as groups, as sharks often target isolated targets.
