Reunion Attack

Reports say that the man was in critical condition, and that surgeons were battling to save him after the attack at Etang-Sale, just south of fabled lefthander St Leu.

The attack took place off the reef 20 metres from the shoreline at the break, an exposed left-breaking reef with top quality surf at times.  

A report in the New Straits times said: "the two other shark attacks reported off the island this year were deadly. The authorities said the latest victim, a local man, was outside the protected perimeter. They urged beachgoers to exercise the utmost caution."

According to this report, "some argue that the growing amounts of wastewater poured into the sea attract sharks while others blame a marine reserve where fishing is banned for the spike in attacks in recent years."

According to the French website Surfprevention.com, a witnesses had tried to make a tourniquet for the man, whose name was Tanguy. Lifeguards and then EMS personnel took over and the victim was transported by ambulance to hospital in Saint-Pierre.

The prefecture of Reunion Reunion announced that "several commercial fishing vessels had been mobilized for operations to cull sharks in the immediate vicinity of the attack", said the website.

Due to attacks over the last year, swimming and surfing are banned at La Reunion, and this had been extended until 15 February 2014. The area where the attack took place was a prohibited area, according to the website.

This was the third attack this year in Reunion after the death of Stephen Berhamel on May 8, and the death of a 15 year old girl in the bay of St. Paul on July 15. A dog was bitten by a shark on the beach last month.

Last year, an attack on a St Leu surfer, who lost a leg, led to the ban