French Surfer Teen Dies in Deadly Shark Attack
A 13-year old male surfing champion has died due to a deadly shark attack at about 9 AM off Reunion Island. Reunion Island is a French territory, and is a member of the European Union, in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar. The teenage boy, Elio Canestri, was in a section of the water that was banned to travel due to danger from sharks and he was swimming with seven other surfers when the attack occurred. The ban on swimming, surfing, windsurfing and other water activities was put in place in February after a 20-year old woman died of heart failure at the hospital after a deadly shark attack in the same area.
Rescuers Unable to Stop Deadly Shark Attack
Witnesses saw the boy was about 50 feet out in the ocean when the shark hit him from below the surface and forced him off the surfboard. The deadly shark attack was said to have involved the shark biting into the boy and flinging Canestri’s body around in the water, ripping off the surfer’s limbs and part of his torso prior to rying to travel out to sea with the body.
Although local rescue services called CROSS were launched immediately and went out in specialized boats, according to local rescue service officials, the boy could not be saved and died before they could get to him. Due to the horrific trauma of the nature of the vicious shark attack, witnesses are being treated for distress. The beach was evacuated quickly after the deadly shark attack, say witnesses. Fellow surfers are mourning Elio Canestri after this fatal shark encounter, saying he was one of the best up-and-coming young surfers in the industry.
Previous Fatal Shark Attacks in Past Years
The deadly shark attack happened on the western coast near Lobster Cape, also known as Cap Homard. This morning’s deadly shark attack isn’t the first of its kind in these waters, as there have been 16 previous attacks by sharks in the last 4 years, with 7 of them being fatal. The island has seen a large drop in tourism over the past few months because of the ban on water related activities in the area.
The other deadly shark attacks included a 23-year old man who lost his leg to a shark attack in October, as well as a 15-year old girl who died in July 2013. Swimmers and surfers were only allowed in specific areas that were manned by lifeguards, and surfing and body board contests were halted in the past, causing a drop in travel to the area.
A surfing event in a safer region of the world’s waters, UnSOund Surf Pro NY contest (hosted by Volcom) in Long Beach, New York. Professional surfers hailing from around the country compete for a $10,000 prize:
https://youtu.be/X8k8PyKiO5E
