FATAL -- 18 June 2006 -- Olinda, Brazil -- surfer attacked

Humberto Pessoa Batista, 27, died from blood loss after being attacked by a shark while surfing at a beach in the city of Olinda in North East Brazil. Olinda is just north of Recife.

Bastista was surfing with around 30 other surfers about 15 metres from the beach when he was bitten on the left thigh. The bite ruptured his femoral artery and he died of blood loss as rescue workers tried to take him to hospital.

No other details were available at the time of this blog.

According to media Batista's death was the 18th since 1992 caused by shark attacks in the area. Surfing has traditionally been banned in the area due to the high concentration of sharks attracted to waters off Recife by a large coral reef where they feed, but authorities had lifted the restriction this year because few sharks had been sighted.

Sources: Associated Press via Yahoo News