INJURED – 1 June 2008 – Piedade beach, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil – swimmer attacked

Wellington dos Santos, 14, had his right hand completely severed and suffered large bite wounds to his buttocks from a shark attack while swimming beyond the coral reef about 150 metres off the beach at Piedade, near the Pernambuco state capital Recife.

Lifeguards rescued dos Santos and rushed him to a hospital, where he was reported to be in critical but stable condition at the time of this blog.

Pernambuco state fire department spokesman Marcio Maia, told media that as well as losing his right hand the shark “bit off a large chunk of his buttocks”.

The attack was the 51st since authorities started keeping count of shark attacks in the area in 1992. Maia said that sharks have killed 19 people in Pernambuco state over the past 15 years.

No other details were reported.

Sources:
Associated Press