Hawaii Shark Attack: Official Warns Against Panic as Another Shark Attacks Swimmer

A shark attacked a 16-year-old, Jimmy Napeahi, on Sunday in Hawaii, the latest in a string of recent attacks.

While Nepeahi is in stable condition recovering at a hospital, a local official warned against panic.

“The sharks are always out there. We’ll go along for months at a time and nothing happens, and then we’ll get one, two and three,” Maui Fire Department Capt. Jeff Giesea told the Los Angeles Times.

“My perspective is that there is a lot of randomness in the world, and it’s easy to try and superimpose order on that.”

Nepeahi was bit in the leg by a shark in the waters off Puna on the Big Island, reported Hawaii News Now.

“He was coming down the wave and the shark came from the side and took him out by the leg,” said Isaac Belisario, a witness. “I was shaking. I was so close to the shark attack, I don’t know... It was too much.”

The attack is the eighth this year in Hawaii and comes shortly after a German tourist had her arm severed by a shark off the coast of Maui before being rescued by two surfers.

Gisea, the fire captain, said that shark attacks are just part of life and don’t stop people from going into the water.

“I don’t get the impression that residents are freaked out about this,“ he said. ”Some people are looking for an explanation, and maybe there is a reason to be found. But it also could be just chance you take swimming in waters you know have sharks in them.”