Man swims to safety after being attacked by shark in Hawaii

(CNN) — A 60-year-old man was swimming in Hawaii’s Anehumalu Bay on Sunday when he was attacked by a shark, local officials said.

According to a Hawaii Fire Department news release, the man was about 200 meters away when the shark struck him around 12:40 p.m. local time.

The man was able to swim to a catamaran, whose crew helped pull him out of the water, the statement said.

Crew members helped control the man’s bleeding until rescuers arrived on the scene, according to officials. A lifeguard in a personal watercraft “transported the patient from the catamaran to the beach where HFD personnel were waiting,” the statement said.

A shark has bitten a man while swimming in Anehumalu Bay on Hawaii’s Big Island. (Credit: Adobe Stock/Archive)

The fire department said the man was taken to North Hawaii Hospital with bites to his left arm and the back of his leg. His current condition is unknown.

Anehumalu Bay, also known as Ae-Bay, is located on the west coast of the Big Island. The scenic area is a popular destination for recreational activities like snorkeling.

Officials said they did not know the size or species of the shark involved in Sunday’s attack.

In general, the risk of being attacked by sharks is low. Globally, there were a total of 73 unprovoked shark bites and 39 confirmed provoked bites in 2021. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.