The woman suffered a 2-inch puncture wound to her left knee when she was attacked by a tiger shark. She was brought ashore in a canoe where first-aid was rendered and then taken to a nearby hospital, the Hawaii Tribune Herald reported.
A 57-year-old woman swimming with a tourist group was attacked by a 10-foot tiger shark off the coast of Hawaii. She is in stable condition, officials said.
The woman suffered a 2-inch puncture wound to her left knee when she was attacked from behind. She was brought ashore in a canoe where first-aid was rendered and then taken to a nearby hospital, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported.
The attack happened around 8:50 a.m. on Tuesday at the Kukio Resort Club House on Hawaii Island.
The woman, who had not yet been identified, was part of an ocean excursion group of 17 people - eight people were on stand-up paddleboard, six were in canoes and two people were swimming in the ocean, according to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).
Initial reports said that the jet ski operator told members of the group that a tiger shark was in the area and the woman had an encounter with the shark shortly after, according to People.
The woman was swimming about 200 yards offshore when she was attacked, DLNR reported.
Officials closed the beaches for the rest of the day, according to Fox News.
After a shark attack, the Hawaii DLNR features a video that shows how it follows shark-incident response protocols that include placing shark warning signs up and down the beach, one mile in each direction from the incident of the location.
The DNLR said the warning signs remain in place until noon the day after a shark encounter. People are asked to stay out of the water, but being on the beach is safe, the DNLR said.
Officers along with county safety personnel patrol the beach and the ocean all day, Officers and lifeguards return the next morning to continue providing warnings until since the clearance is given, according to the DLNR.
According to the DLNR, tiger sharks are known to bite people at all times of day, unlike other sharks that may move inshore to feed at dusk, dawn, and at night. The DLNR offers a list of safety tips.
