A 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after an apparent shark attack Saturday morning at Anaehoomalu Bay.
The Hawaii Fire Department reported the woman was swimming approximately 500 yards offshore when an unknown size or type of shark attacked her at 8 a.m.
She was assisted back to shore by good Samaritans where they were met by HFD medics, according to officials. The patient was treated and transported to Queen’s North Hawaii Community Hospital with serious injuries to her lower right leg.
The DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), in conjunction with Hawaii County authorities placed shark warning signs one-mile on either side of the bay.
The captain of an ocean sports vessel reported the incident, after hearing calls for help coming from near a channel marker. A tender from the Spirit of Aloha tour vessel was used to take the woman to shore.
The beach remained closed on Saturday while HFD helicopters perform fly-overs. Fire personnel did not spot any sharks in the area.
Another flyover is scheduled for this morning when an assessment will be made to determine if the popular beach will re-open.
The incident comes less than a month after a fatal shark attack off Maui. On Dec. 8, a 56-year-old man later identified as Robin Warren of Napili, encountered a 14-foot shark while paddling out from the old ramp at Honolua Bay at about 7:50 a.m., according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. He was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, where he underwent surgery, but eventually succumbed to his injuries.