He managed to punch the shark several times before it swam away.
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Honolulu EMS spokeswoman Shayne Enright said in a release that the attack happened near the “Leftovers” surfing spot, which is close to the well-known Banzai Pipeline area.
A Rhode Island native with ties to Newport is recovering after a shark attacked him while surfing off the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii.
Justin Baluch said he saw a paddleboarder and a surfer bringing the victim out of the water to Kamehameha Highway at about 10:20 a.m. and stopped his auto to help.
Chris Webster, one of Cook’s cousins told KHON2 News about the incident.
“He was screaming “shark” and ‘help, ‘” recounted Drew Zarba. “I grabbed the surfboard and I laid it down right here as he was pulling off his leash off”. A kayaker also assisted the injured man back to shore. He also asked for a glass of water.
His family praised doctors, emergency responders, and beachgoers who came to his rescue. Emergency service personnel say the group’s quick actions ultimately helped save the surfer’s life.
“The patient suffered critical injuries to his left leg… and he did suffer a few abrasions to his hand, mostly trying to fend off the shark”. He was, however, visibly shaken. He was taken to a Honolulu hospital, where he underwent surgery. Helping to account for this year’s shark hysteria, eight attacks occurred in a span of about six weeks in early summer off the coast of North Carolina, a state that had seen a total of only 25 shark attacks in the previous decade, according to the Shark Attack File.
Lifeguards in the area were warning visitors to stay out of the ocean. and signs have been posted along the beach.
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The shark was reported to be either a tiger or Galapagos about 10 to 12 feet long, although this has not been confirmed by officials.
