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Kauai Lifeguard Seriously Injured in Hanalei Bay Shark Bite

Lifeguards applied a tourniquet before a medical flight to Honolulu for surgery.

Overview

  • Officials identified the victim as 33-year-old Chance Swanson, a Kauai Ocean Safety lifeguard who was surfing near the Middles/Pine Trees area around 3:10 p.m. Wednesday.
  • Responding lifeguards used tourniquets and brought him to shore, a step his doctors and family say was critical to his survival.
  • He was first treated at Wilcox Medical Center and then transported to The Queen's Medical Center, where surgeons repaired a calf artery and addressed a tibia injury.
  • Hanalei Bay remains closed with warning signs posted as authorities continue monitoring, and the shark species has not been determined.
  • Ocean Safety reported a 10-foot tiger shark sighting in the area the day before the attack and said patrols observed a shark again on Thursday.