FATAL -- 20 August 2006 -- Pointe du Diable, Reunion -- surfer attacked

Surfer Sebastien Emond, 34, died in hospital after having his arm ripped off by a shark while surfing at Pointe du Diable (Devil's Point) in the south of Reunion, a French Territory island in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.

The attacked took place on Sunday 20 August. The time of attack was not reported.

His surfing companions managed to drag him 100 metres to shore. He was bleeding profusely from the wound and lost consciousness from blood loss. Paramedics managed to keep him alive as they took him to hospital in the nearest town, St Pierre. He died during surgery late Sunday.

Water sports are banned at Pointe du Diable due to the number of shark sightings. However, surfers ignore the ban to surf the large waves at the point, according to media.

Bull sharks and Tiger sharks are the two most common sharks involved in attacks at Reunion. La Reunion's marine observatory has recorded 24 shark attacks off the island's shores since 1980, 13 of which have been fatal.

Sources:
The Raw Story
News.com.au
IOL