Aussie Kitesurfer Killed After Severe Shark Bite

A kitesurfer in his 50s was killed by a shark off New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific. The species of the shark was not known.

The man was reportedly kitesurfing within the reef when he fell off his board and was subsequently bitten in the leg by a shark. Passengers on a nearby catamaran responded to the man who suffered a deep wound to his thigh, according to ABC News. 

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Unfortunately the man died from loss of blood within an hour of the attack. It was the second fatal shark attack in the South Pacific within the past six months. 

Around the world there were 98 shark bites reported last year, an all-time high since 1958. Six were fatal. Experts point to the El Nino effect that draws sharks closer to shore with warmer water and increased watersport activity. 

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Photo credit: Public domain pictures