Oahu man speaks out after being bitten by a shark while surfing
An Oahu man is speaking out after being bitten by a shark while surfing his local break along the south shore of Honolulu over the weekend.
Koa Smith spoke to ABC News this week from his hospital bed, saying the incident happened Saturday at a spot he visits often.
"I paddled out to a spot that I surf all the time," Smith said, saying he had already caught one wave and was waiting for another when he felt a tug on 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 recalled.
Smith said it "felt like something, somebody came up and grabbed my ankle and just yanked as hard as they can."
Smith said he was able to separate himself from the shark, which swam off, and paddle back to the shore, where bystanders called 911. Emergency responders arrived shortly after, he said, and were able to put pressure on his wounds before transporting him to a local hospital to be treated.
According to the Honolulu Ocean Safety Department, the shark encounter occurred near Cromwell's Beach, adjacent to Diamond Head.
"Following the incident, HOSD personnel conducted an assessment of the area and confirmed the presence of an aggressive shark near the swim area and surf break. Warning signs have been posted, and ocean users are strongly advised to stay out of the water in the affected area until further notice," the department said in a statement.
The department noted it had received reports of "two aggressive sharks, each estimated at approximately 8 feet in length ... near the Ala Moana Bowls surf lineup" and had also posted shark warning signs nearby, at Magic Island.
Smith told ABC News he suffered severe injuries on both legs as a result of the encounter.
"I've got maybe a 5-inch pretty deep gash on my right foot," he said. "My left leg is the worst -- it's about a 10-inch opening," he said.
Despite the incident, Smith and his wife Dennae said they plan to surf again.
"It's definitely best case scenario of a worse situation for sure," Dennae Smith told ABC News. "And we're really, really grateful, because we know that a lot of people in this position aren't as lucky."
Smith said the experience has changed his approach to surfing going forward.
"I'm gonna be more cautious for sure," he said. "I'm not going to go out by myself in sharky areas at feeding time anymore."
ABC News has reached out to Honolulu Emergency Medical Services for comment.
