The World Surf League event in New Zealand was abruptly cancelled on Monday after a water photographer covering the competition was bitten by an unknown sea creature and taken to hospital. The incident occurred at Manu Bay, where Australian photographer Ed Sloane was filming the men's semi-finals of the New Zealand Pro when he suffered puncture wounds to his ankle.
Shortly before 8:30am local time, the attack prompted organisers to issue a code red, halting the competition just ten minutes after it had begun. Brazilian surfers who were already in the water, including Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira, were swiftly extracted on jet skis. The photographer also had a flipper ripped off during the encounter.
Renato Hickel, vice president of tours and competition, confirmed that it was the first time such a code red had been activated. "This time it was our beloved water photographer Ed. Thank God he's in good spirits. He's well considering what happened," Hickel said. He added that it was not yet clear whether the attacker was a shark or a sea lion, but the doctor on scene suspected a sea lion bite. "Nevertheless, very scary," he remarked.
Mr Sloane later stated that he was "doing okay" and expressed gratitude for the swift response from water patrol and medical teams. "I've had bites to my left foot and am getting medical attention," he said. The league postponed the event until noon, prioritising safety. The incident echoes a similar event 11 years ago when Australian surfer Mick Fanion fought off a shark during the J-Bay Pro in South Africa, which was captured live on television.
