Fatal shark attack claims life of surfer in Hawaii, prompting beach closures
The Maui Island Police Department has indicated that the victim, a surfer aged 39, died as a direct result of injuries sustained in a shark attack, according to reports from American news station CBS News. The tragic incident unfolded on Saturday morning local time. Authorities did not specify the nature of the man's injuries.
1:23 PM EST, January 2, 2024
The victim was injured in Paia Bay, in the vicinity of Haiku. Water rescue teams transported the man to the shore by jet ski, where lifesaving efforts commenced. Upon the arrival of additional medical personnel, the victim was transported further to a hospital for additional treatment, as stated by police in a press release. Unfortunately, the man succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities have identified the 39-year-old victim as Jason Carter, a resident of Haiku, a small community in Maui County, Hawaii. An ongoing police investigation into the attack and an impending autopsy have been announced. The exact species of shark, or the number of sharks involved in this attack, remains unknown.
In the wake of the tragic incident, Baldwin and Lower Paia beaches have been closed. American radio station NPR reported that service teams patrolled the coastal area on jet skis following the attack, citing a Maui County statement published on Instagram. On Saturday, the Hawaiian Department of Land and Natural Resources announced that, in line with standard procedures, warning signs related to sharks have been placed 1 mile on either side of the area where the incident occurred.
