Man Suffers Foot Injury in Possible Shark Bite, Pāʻia

By Maui Now Staff

A 61-year-old man is being treated for non-life threatening lacerations to his foot from a possible shark bite incident, fire officials said.

Firefighters from the Pāʻia Fire Station were dispatched to the Pāʻia Youth Center at 5:27 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16, 2014 for the report of the injured man.

Crews arrived to find the man seated in a grassy area at the Youth Center with five or six lacerations on his left foot, the longest being about six inches, fire officials said.

According to department reports, the man stated that he was swimming approximately 200 yards off shore when he was bitten on the foot by what he described as a gray, 6 to 8-foot shark.

Fire officials say the man swam to shore under his own power and walked to shore.

Fire personnel provided first aid and the man was transported to Maui Memorial Medical Center in stable condition, officials said.

Crews from the Maui Police Department and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources remained on scene to secure the area at last report.