More Shark Sightings Delay Hawaii Beach’s Reopening (For A Little While)

An aerial sighting of a 14-foot tiger shark and a 5-foot shark of an unidentified species delayed Tuesday’s reopening of a portion of South Maui coastline after a shark bit a 54-year-old surfer early Monday morning off Kalama Park.

Around 6 a.m. Monday, Kihei resident Scott Henrich had been sitting upright on his board, waiting to catch a wave at the Kalama Bowls surf spot when he was bitten on the right leg by a shark.

State and county officials planned to reopen the beach areas Tuesday morning after checking the coastal waters by air. But the helicopter reconnaissance around 7 a.m. spotted the tiger shark north of the attack site and the other shark was seen at the location where Henrich had been bitten.

Officials kept the coastal areas closed until noon when a second helicopter flyover found no sharks. The beaches have since been reopened.

photo: AMANDA COWAN

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