Sunday, August 2nd, 2009
More info on Derek Mitchell’s spear fishing trip gone bad.
Derek, his father, and some neighbors were spear fishing off Spanish Cay, when they noticed a couple of sharks close by. Then one of the guys they were with caught a fish but didn’t bring it up in time. That’s when a 7 pound Bull shark got a whiff, and headed right for them.
Derek didn’t have any fish, so the figured the shark would turn around and go away, which it did, but seconds later, it turned around and grabbed onto Derek’s’ calf. Using their spearguns they scared off the shark and got Derek onto the boat and rushed him to a hospital.
The bite punctured Derek’s achilles tendon, but doctors were able to repair a lot of the damage.
They say the teen should be walking with the help of crutches in the next few weeks.
[source]
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
A teenager is recovering, after being bitten by a shark in the Bahamas. The 14-year-old boy was taken by ambulance to Saint Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach. The teen was bitten on the leg, but it’s unclear by what type of shark. The name of the boy has not been released but apparently he’s doing okay.
[source]
Tuesday, July 14th, 2009
A Caribbean reef shark did some serious damage to a boat captain’s leg near the Bahamas.
Captain John Cooper was taking a group of people spear fishing on Saturday. When a shark got too close for comfort for one of the divers, they shot the shark in the head. But the bullet didn’t stop the shark. It went crazy and clamped down on Cooper’s leg.
Cooper was flown to Miami where an ambulance took him to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“He’s lucky. A centimeter one way or the other could have caught an artery,” said surgeon Dr. Carl Schulman.
Cooper, who’s expected to make a full recovery, says he’s undaunted and ready to get back in the water.
[source]
Saturday, May 16th, 2009
Luis Hernandez talks about getting attacked by a bull shark from his hospital bed at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He was spearfishing, off the Exuma Islands and had just speared a grouper when he spotted the shark. He poked it so it would get out of his way but the shark wouldn’t leave. It eventually lunged at him, sinking its teeth into his arm.
The shark eventually let go, taking a chunk of Hernandez’s forearm with it… he could see strips of muscle dangling from his bone. Ew. Hernandez has gone through a number of surgeries on his arm, which doctors say will take six months to a year to heal.
[source]
Friday, May 15th, 2009
Luis Hernandez, 48, is recovering at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami after family members said he was attacked by a shark while fishing in the Bahamas.
Hernandez was spearfishing off the Exuma Islands on May 6 when he noticed a seven-foot bull shark swimming nearby. Hernandez tried to keep his distance (duh) but the shark attacked him after he speared a grouper.
Hernandez’s wife raced over to her husband to rescue him and get him onto their boat.
He was brought to a clinic in the Exumas for initial treatment, then flown to Nassau and finally, on May 8, to Jackson Memorial, where hospital he’s been for the last week.
Hernandez is expected to make a public statement about the incident later today.
[source]
