Kauai’s Hanalei Bay remains closed until further notice after a surfer was bitten by a shark leaving 33-year-old Kauai Ocean Safety lifeguard Chance Swanson with multiple leg injuries.
Swanson went surfing with friends at the spot known as “Middles.” Loved ones said his friends eventually paddled back in but Swanson stayed out in the water.
A bystander noticed something strange in the area Chance was surfing and quickly notified lifeguards at the tower. He was brought to shore with a serious leg injury. Swanson has undergone surgery to repair an artery in his calf as well as surgery on his tibia where the shark bit through to the bone.
At this time, officials said there is no information on the type or size of the shark involved in this incident. The day before the attack, Kauai Ocean Safety spotted a 10-foot tiger shark in the same area. When ocean safety patrolled the area again on Thursday, they said there was a shark still in the area.
A GoFundMe for the victim has been set up to assist with medical costs as well as time off of work.
According to state data, there have now been 169 shark incidents statewide since 1995 with the majority of incidents happening during peak Tiger shark pupping season in October.
