Ka’a’awa Beach and Ka’a’awa Valley Mountain Coastline.Photo:Getty
Getty
The Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in a statement obtained with PEOPLE that emergency personnel responded to a 911 call just before 1:30 p.m. local time about the incident that took place at a spot known as “Rainbows” in Ka’a’awa, across from the back gate to Kualoa Ranch.
The bite occurred on the unidentified girl’s left foot, but her injuries were not life-threatening, according to authorities.
“The girl was near shore, swimming in the water, when the incident occurred,” the Honolulu Emergency Services Department’s statement said.
“The patient’s parents declined EMS transport to an emergency room," the agency added. “A witness described seeing what appeared to be a small reef shark in the area.”
Beachgoer Rodney Sekona toldHawaii News Nowthat he used to see “sharks over here” and “used to dive out” there, but they didn’t “bother” him at all.
“I was surprised, surprised somebody got bitten here,” he added.
The suspected shark attack comes months after asurfer died in a “shark encounter"on Hawaii’s north shore on Dec. 30.Jason “Jay” Carter, 39, of Haiku, was surfing in Paia Bay when the incident occurred,according to the county of Maui.
Emergency crews arrived at the scene and a first responder administered life-saving measures to Carter. The victim was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, per officials.
“The shark just came up next to him and there’s maybe one guy in between us and the shark just started biting him and pull [sic] him down and then I just was paddling in trying to call 911,” witness Ikaia Kapisi said,Hawaii News Nowreported.
Hawaii’s Department of Land and Resourcesreportedeight shark incidents last year.
source: people.com
