Surfer bitten by a shark

CORRECTION: The Cape Town surfer bitten by a shark this morning and who is recovering in hospital is age 40 (not 38 as originally reported). NSRI are appealing to surfers, bathers and paddlers to be cautious around the Jeffreys Bay coastline after a 38 year old Cape Town man was bitten by a shark while surfing at The Point, Jeffreys Bay.Kouga Municipality has closed beaches in Jeffreys Bay following this shark incident.At 07h07, Wednesday, 14 July, NSRI Jeffreys Bay duty crew were activated following reports of a surfer bitten by a shark while surfing at The Point in Jeffreys Bay.While responding to the scene NSRI were informed that the surfer was out of the water.An NSRI Bakoven crewman who happened to be there at the time initiated medical treatment using an NSRI shark kit from the NSRI shark kit box that is stationed at The Point Beach.Gardmed ambulance services, EC Government Health EMS, Private Care ambulance services and Exec Ops security responded.Paramedics treated the man on the scene for puncture wounds to his right leg and his torso and he has been transported to hospital by Gardmed ambulance in a stable condition.It appears that while surfing fellow surfers saw the man appear to fall off his board. It was then discovered, according to eye-witness reports, that he may have been bumped off his board and bitten by a shark and we believe he managed to get back onto his board and he was assisted out of the water by fellow surfers.NSRI has launched a sea rescue craft, at the request of Kouga Municipality, to patrol the surfline and to alert surfers who may not yet be aware of this shark incident.SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY: 112 or 087 094 9774Released by:Craig LambinonSEA RESCUE COMMUNICATIONSEmail: communications@searescue.org.za | Cell: +27 (0) 82 380 3800 | www.searescue.org.za