Great white shark sighted as 42-year-old man fights for life after reportedly losing parts of both legs at Fish Hoek in Cape Town
A Briton has been attacked by a shark while swimming in South Africa, authorities said.
The 42-year-old man is fighting for his life after the attack by a great white at Fish Hoek beach in Cape Town.
Reports said the man, who is believed to live in the city, was rescued by a bystander after he ignored shark warnings to go swimming.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesman Craig Lambinon told the South African Press Association (Sapa): "It appears he was rescued from the water by a bystander who left the scene before we could identify him.
"On arrival, a 42-year-old man was found on the shore suffering complete amputation of his right leg, above the knee, and partial amputation of his left leg, below the knee."
Lambinon said the victim was believed to live in the suburb of Plumstead.
He was stabilised at the scene and then airlifted to Constantiaberg medi-clinic in a critical condition.
Lambinon added: "The man was conscious when paramedics attended to him on the beach, but was sedated on-scene by paramedics in their efforts to stabilise the patient."
The city of Cape Town told Sapa that, when the man entered the water, the beach was still closed. A shark flag, indicating the presence of a great white, was flying.
A shark spotter stationed on the beach was warned by a spotter on the mountain that someone had entered the water.
The spotter then ran to Clovelly Corner to try to get the swimmer out of the water, but the attack took place before he could reach him.
Spotters had sighted the shark 90 minutes before the attack, and closed the beach. The white shark flag was raised and the siren set off.
The victim of the attack was the only person in the water at the time.
The beach, together with another three locally, was closed as a precaution until further notice.
The shark was still in Fish Hoek Bay in the afternoon and being monitored by the spotters.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/28/briton-attacked-shark-south-africa
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