Article
Reunion Island Shark Attack
Reunion Island has had 30 reported shark attacks since 1972. Photo: Joli
On Saturday, Feb. 19, at 6 pm local time a surfer was attacked on Reunion Island. The attack occurred at Three Rocks, Saint-Gilles, a popular location for both surfers and tourists.
The identity of the 32-year old victim is still unknown. According to reports, the surfer’s leg was tore off at the knee but the victim was still conscious when emergency vehicles rushed him to the hospitable.
Tézier Remy, a witness on the scene at the time of the attack stated the waves were beautiful and the water was clear. Remy claimed that there had not been an attack in the area before, but that local sharks are “unpredictable.”
There have been 30 attacks on Reunion Island reported since 1972, 17 of which have been fatal. Before Saturday’s attack, the last shark attack on the island took place in March 2010, with the victim only sustaining scratches.
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Comments
November 27, 2011 11:23 am
how can surfermag allow such ludicrous comments on such a serious subject…?
October 29, 2011 1:14 am
I heard surfers from Réunion started killing sharks to avenge Mathieu Schiller.
If this is true, it’s an insult to everything a true surfer stands for. Surfers are not part of the natural eco-system and therefore accept this risk when they enter the water. The actions of these select people must be an insult to the memory of Mathieu Shiller – how could he condone such careless destruction of these beautiful creatures carried out in his name?
Please stop…wimps!
July 21, 2011 10:04 am
I live on Reunion Island and actually since one month there are a lot of sharks here and more attacks than usually.
February 24, 2011 9:01 am
that shark should be suspended indefinitely by the asp!!! zero tolerance !
February 23, 2011 5:30 pm
Best wishes to him in having a speedy recovery, stay strong braddah!
Aloha
February 23, 2011 2:16 pm
The victim is a surfer from my hometown, in the South of France. The attack occured the day he arrived on Reunion Island.
The witnesses are different: some, like Rémy Tézier, say the water was clear; others, like surf photographer Laurent Capmas, report the water was blurred. Hugo Savalli, a pro surfer from Reunion Island, stated to the French magazine Surf Session that he was surfing on this spot some minutes before the attack happened.
Anyway, the victim will have his leg cut…
But according to a common friend, he’s OK and keep the faith.
February 23, 2011 1:08 am
Sam that’s a very smart and generous comment for the victim. Great spirit.
February 23, 2011 12:10 am
Yeah,
And then Kala Alexander could have cut the sharks fins off , to be sold to the Chinese Mafia in downtown Honolulu.
February 22, 2011 8:23 pm
too bad jeremy flores wasn’t there – he could have had Sunny come beat the shark up after he failed.