A seven-year-old boy has suffered severe injuries after being attacked by a shark while swimming in Taioha'e Bay on the island of Nuka Hiva, French Polynesia. The incident occurred on Friday, July 25, when around 10 children were playing and jumping in the water.
According to local officials, the boy was bitten on the arm and leg. He was initially taken to Nuka Hiva's small hospital before being airlifted to the main hospital in Tahiti, approximately 930 miles away. A firefighter who assisted the child described the wounds as 'long and deep,' noting that this was the first such attack he had witnessed in 35 years.
The firefighter suggested the attack may be linked to fish carcasses discarded by fishermen in the area, which attract sharks such as blacktips, hammerheads, and lemon sharks. Shark attacks are rare in French Polynesia, which declared its waters a shark sanctuary in 2006, leading to healthy shark populations.
A study by Paris Science et Lettres Research University, reviewing over 60 years of shark bite data, found that most incidents in the region are defensive, often triggered by spearfishing or handling fish traps. Such bites are typically superficial and rarely fatal.
Last year, South African tourist Angus Kockott was bitten by a shark while freediving in the Gambier Islands. He sustained nerve and tendon damage but expressed no ill will towards the animal, attributing the attack to territorial behaviour.
