Fourth shark attack on Maui in past two weeks

On Wednesday, August 14, 2013, at White Rock beach on Maui, Hawaii, a young female tourist from Germany was attacked by a shark, which completely severed one of her arms.

A resident in the area, Andree Conley-Kapoi, said, “We heard screaming from the water and it was this unbelievable scream like I’ve never heard before. The only time anybody would scream like that is if they are being attacked by a shark.”

The attack occurred around 50 feet from shore at approximately 4:50 pm. Witness Andree said he saw another person trying to bring her back to shore and soon after someone else went out with a kayak to help. She was put on the kayak, and brought to the beach within around 10 minutes. Andree said she was completely white and also had a bite mark on one of her feet.

The victim is in critical condition at Maui Medical Center. Her name has not yet been released. She is in her twenties and was swimming with two friends at the time.

This is the fourth shark attack on Maui in the past two weeks.

On August 13, a shark bit a kitesurfer’s board off Kanaha Beach. On August 5, Evonne Cashman, a 56-year-old retired school teacher from Cerritos, California, and repeat visitor to Maui, was attacked by a 25-foot shark while snorkeling at Ulua Beach. Prior to that, on August 1, a woman was bitten as she took an early morning swim about 30 feet from the shore, also at Ulua Beach Park.

Ocean Safety crews closed the beaches one mile in either direction of White Rock in South Maui today. Maui police and enforcement officers from the Department of Land and Natural Resources were patrolling area beaches following the incident. The Maui Fire Department’s Air-1 helicopter was also seen doing patrols of the shoreline area where the incident occurred.