More details have emerged about the victim of a gruesome shark attack on an Oahu beach this week. The man who was bitten at Cromwell’s beach has been identified as surfer Koa Smith (not that Koa Smith), and he spoke out about his experience of the encounter.
As Smith told ABC News, Cromwell’s was his regular break. “I paddled out to a spot that I surf all the time,” he said, going on to explain that he had already caught a wave and was waiting for another when something tugged his leg.
“When I turned around, I saw that it was a shark, and it was just kind of, like, right here by my side, just thrashing,” he continued. He described the sensation as being like someone came up and yanked on his ankle as hard as they could.
Afterwards, Smith was able to extricate himself from the jaws of the shark (which did not pursue him any further) and make a beeline for shore. There, bystanders called 911, and EMS was able to perform lifesaving measures and transport him to a nearby hospital. In the aftermath of the attack, a six- to eight-foot shark was spotted in the area, leading Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguards to post shark warning signs at Cromwell’s.
Smith’s wounds were pretty severe – he described them as a five-inch gash on his right foot, and a 10-inch opening on his left leg. Despite that, he and his wife Dennae remain optimistic. “It’s definitely best case scenario of a worse situation for sure,” she told ABC. “And we’re really, really grateful, because we know that a lot of people in this position aren’t as lucky.”
