Surfer, Shark In Reunion: 13-Year-Old Champion Surfer Attacked By Shark, Killed
A surfer was attacked by a shark in Reunion, and died from his injuries. According to NBC News, 13-year-old Elio Canestri was bodyboarding about 50 feet off the beach when a shark grabbed on to him. The surfing champion was bit around the torso as he was preparing to ride a wave. Despite a fast reaction by authorities, Elio’s injuries were too severe. He was pronounced dead upon rescue.
Yikes our Mauritius swim outs were actually def more dangerous than we thought @StauntonJames http://t.co/eK0gNuX6Ix pic.twitter.com/vNOLeLaoeP
— Miles Suter (@WahWhoWah) April 14, 2015
“A boat was launched very quickly, and the victim was dragged out of the sea, but he died from his wounds. Those who witnessed the attack, including other children, are being treated for trauma.”
The surfer attacked by a shark in Reunion isn’t the first in the waters of the Indian Ocean. There have been 16 shark attacks near Reunion over the past four years, and seven of those have been fatal. For this reason, the local government has put a water activity ban into place for certain areas. Some reports indicate that Elio was in a “no swim” zone, while others say that the area was outside of the area that was deemed unsafe. Following his death, it is likely that the waters off Reunion will be off limits for water activity.
According to the Orange County Register, the shark didn’t let up at all after biting Elio. Not only did it sink its teeth into the teen’s body, but it also tore apart his limbs before taking his lifeless body out to sea. By the time the boat found Elio’s body, it was too late.
Another life lost due to a shark attack. RIP Elio Canestri would of been a great surfer. pic.twitter.com/ho9i6k8ktl — Daveeed Gomez (@TheJoseDavid) April 14, 2015
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, thousands of people gathered on the beach as part of a memorial for the boy. Social media has also been filled with messages of love and support for Elio, who died doing what he loved to do.
Elio Canestri, teen surfing star, killed in shark attack. pic.twitter.com/tVyLLQDKFP — EL INFORMANTE (@ElInformanteMX) April 14, 2015
It is unknown what type of shark attacked the surfer in Reunion. There are many different species of shark that call those waters home. Great Whites are known to frequent the waters off the coast of South Africa which isn’t too far away.
[Photo via Facebook]
