A surfer was bitten by a shark while surfing off Maui, Hawaii, on Friday, according to officials.

The Maui Police and Fire Departments reported in a press release that the victim, a 61-year-old man from the area, was surfing at Waiehu Beach Park at a location called “Sand Piles” when the incident occurred. First responders revealed that the man had suffered a severe injury where his right leg was severed during the attack, as reported by CBS affiliate Hawaii News Now.

A GoFundMe page identified the surfer as “Kenji,” and updated information indicated that he is now out of the Intensive Care Unit at Maui Memorial Medical Center and is recovering well.

Eyewitnesses told Hawaii News Now that the surfer was helped back to shore by fellow surfers, who then provided medical assistance until responders arrived.

“I heard this scream, and when I looked, I saw him splashing around, and I couldn’t believe what was happening,” recounts witness David Basques. “He swam back halfway by himself, and then I saw someone else jump in to help him back to safety.”

YSL News reached out to the GoFundMe organizers for additional details but did not get a response right away.

Shark Attack Statistics

In 2023, the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File recorded 69 unprovoked shark bites—an increase of six compared to the average over the past five years.

There were two fatalities in the U.S. due to shark bites last year: one in California and another in Hawaii. Four individuals lost their lives in shark attacks in Australia. Additionally, there was one death each in the Bahamas, Egypt, Mexico, and New Caledonia.

Florida experienced 16 reported bites, with eight occurring in Volusia County, which is known as the “shark bite capital of the world” due to its high frequency of incidents.

Besides the fatal incident in Hawaii, there were also seven other shark bites reported last year in the state. North Carolina had three, South Carolina had two, and California had two, including one fatal case.

New York saw four bite incidents, including one in New York City, while New Jersey recorded one attack.

The 36 reported attacks in the U.S. accounted for approximately 52% of the total worldwide incidents.

In 2023, attacks were also documented in various countries, including Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, New Zealand, Seychelles, Turks and Caicos, Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands, and South Africa.

In June, actor Tamayo Perry, known for “Pirates of the Caribbean,” tragically lost his life in a shark attack off the coast of Oahu.