Bathers warned after swimmers attacked by suspected shark and seal

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has urged bathers to be cautious in and around coastal waters after two attacks — one by a seal and the other by an as-yet-unknown small marine creature suspected to be a shark on Saturday.

NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the two incidents were unrelated, with the first happening at Blue Waters in False Bay and the other at Bloubergstrand’s Big Bay in the Western Cape.

Shark bite

Lambinon said the City of Cape Town’s water rescue network was activated by NSRI Emergency Operations Centre and by Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services – Fire Control, following an emergency call about a man bitten by a “marine animal” while wading in the surf in chest deep water, at Blue Waters Beach.

“Lifeguards medically attended to 65 year old local man who had been bitten on a hand and a leg by an as yet undetermined small marine animal.

“The man who was bitten, and bystanders, suspected that the animal may have been a small shark. The bite wounds are being investigated by authorities to determine the species,” Lambinon said.

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Lambinon said lifeguards quickly notified responding services that the man was out of the water and in good spirits, in their care, on the beach.

“The lifeguards had bandaged his wounds. He was walking wounded. The man was transported to hospital by EMS ambulance in a stable condition for further care.”

Seal bite

In a separate incident, Big Bay Surf Lifesaving Club reported a local man who was out on an open water swim had sustained a small seal bite.

Lambinon said the man was advised to clean the wound and to attend at a hospital for further care and evaluation of the bite.

“The City of Cape Town authorities were notified of the incident,” Lambinon said.

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