INJURED – 20 March 2007 -- South Golden Beach, New South Wales, Australia – surfer attacked

Jodie Cooper, 42, was bitten on the left hand by a 5-foot shark while surfing at South Golden Beach, New South Wales, Australia on Tuesday 20 March 2007.

Cooper, a former number 2 on the pro surfing circuit, suffered lacerations and bone-deep cuts to her hand.

She told media about the attack: “I just went 'okay, I'm being attacked by a shark'."

She had just finished riding a wave and was paddling back to catch another one when the shark latched onto her left hand.

“It just came up from underneath me and just bit me - just like in the movies, it's pretty classic, except lucky it was small shark, a little five-foot thing," Cooper said.

“I didn't even see the thing the whole time, it just gave me a good old chomp on the hand and took a couple of knuckles."

“I'm not saying I'm this heroic bloody thing, I was shitting my pants, you know.

“It's one of those things in all honesty that we can laugh about now and I'm just laughing about it,” she said.

"It's just like I've been bitten by a big dog, just down to the bone on two knuckles, and then about 10 teeth lacerations up my hand," Cooper said.

"There doesn't appear to be any ligament damage ... and I can sort of wiggle my hand."

I'll give it a couple of days and then I'll go surfing for sure."

Sources:
Sydney Morning Herald

DESCRIBED -- The woman attacked at Moore Park beach tells her story

59-year-old Mary Jane Ryan was malled by a suspected 2-metre bull shark – details here.

She tells her story from her hospital bed...

I felt like I'd been hit by a truck... I knew it was something big and I knew I had to get out of there or I'd be dead. End of story."

Those were the words of Mary Jane Ryan yesterday as she lay in a bed in Queensland's Bundaberg Hospital reliving the terrifying shark attack which she believes could have claimed her life.

Sporting a massive bruise to her right hand and arm and a badly gouged leg, Ms Ryan, 59, gave a graphic account of the leisurely Monday afternoon swim at Moore Park beach, just north of Bundaberg, that ended in horror.

Escaping the sweltering 38C heat, Ms Ryan had been swimming alone in chest-deep calm water at low tide when the shark struck.

"All of a sudden, bam, and I knew it was a shark," she said.

"And I knew it had bit my leg and people say 'did you look around?' and it was like 'no, I just knew I had to get out of there'.

More here at NEWS.com.au…

INJURED – 12 March 2007 – Moore Park, Queensland, Australia – wader attacked

A very brief report on Australia’s ABC News Online says a woman (unnamed) was bitten on the foot by a shark at Moore Park, near Bundaberg in south-east Queensland at about 3.30pm local time on Monday 12 March 2007.

The woman managed to walk to a nearby kiosk and call for help. She was taken to Bundaberg Base Hospital for treatment for bruising and cuts to her foot.

No other details were reported.

Source: ABC News Online

INJURED – 11 March 2007 – Tiger Shores Beach, Hutchinson Island, Florida – surfer attacked

Adam McMichael suffered deep cuts on his right forearm after being attacked by a shark while surfing at Tiger Shores Beach, Hutchinson Island, Florida at around 1pm on Sunday 11 March, 2007.

According to a report in Florida’s Sun Sentinel several witnesses heard McMichael screaming for help. He managed to paddle back to shore where he was assisted by beachgoers before paramedics arrived.

Kaye Cross, on vacation in Florida, looked in McMichael's direction from her spot on the beach and could see "big, long deep slices" on his arm and "a trail of blood."

A resident of nearby Jensen Beach, Craig Price, told the newspaper that McMichael said he had “just felt a tug” and never saw the shark, which remains unidentified.

McMichael was taken to Martin Memorial Medical Center in Stuart for surgery to save tissue in his shoulder. He was reported in stable condition.

Sources: Sun Sentinel

INJURED – 4 March 2007?? – Penryn, Cook Islands – spearfisher attacked

A brief 5 March 2007 report on the Radio New Zealand International website says a 16-year-old boy, Turua William Maretapu , from the northern Cook Islands was bitten on the leg by a Tiger shark while spearfishing.

The report quotes the Cook Island Times as saying Turua was swimming over the reef into the lagoon at Penrhyn after spearfishing.

“He spotted the shark and fired at it.

“The shot missed and the shark bit his leg.”

The report did not mention the time or date of the attack.

According to the report others on the reef including his uncle who has First Aid knowledge helped him.

“Turua was rushed to hospital, where the doctor said the first aid probably stopped him bleeding to death.”

No other details were reported.

Source:
Radio New Zealand International