Stephen Schafer Was Surrounded, Attacked By Sharks in Florida
Feb. 4, 2010 — -- Wind surfer Stephen Schafer, who was killed Wednesday by a swarm of sharks off the coast of Florida, had bruises on his arms that indicate he tried to fight off the feeding predators during his final moments.
In a report released today by the Martin County Sheriff's Office, the 38-year-old surfer had 8 to 10 inch bite wounds on his right thigh and "numerous teeth marks" on his right and left buttocks.
Schafer also had bruising on the inside of his right arm and wounds on his hand that appeared to be "defensive wounds" he suffered while he tried fend off the sharks.
The surfer was just 500 yards off shore at Stuart Beach in Florida when lifeguard Daniel Lund, looking through binoculars, noticed he was in trouble and was lying on his board's large sail.
"He was just hanging onto his board -- not normal activity for a kite surfer," Daniel Wouters of Martin County Fire Rescue told ABC News' West Palm Beach affiliate WPBF. "Normally, the wind comes and they pick back up and they go off, but he had been hanging onto his board."
Lund, 47, told the Associated Press that he grabbed his long surfboard and paddled 20 minutes through 4 to 6 feet tall waves to get to Schafer. When Lund got close to Schafer, he could see the danger.
"I get to him, I'm probably within 20 yards or so from him, and there's just a lot of blood in the water," Lund told the AP. He could see several sharks circling nearby.
According to the incident report, Schafer was screaming that a shark had bit him.
Lund said he pulled Schafer onto his board and headed back to the beach. The lifeguard declined to describe Schafer's injuries, but said he was conscious and speaking when they got to the beach and paramedics began treating him.
Witnesses who saw the drama unfold said that the paramedics were powerless to save Schafer.
"I can't emphasize enough that they did their best. The guy just wasn't moving. It was very heartbreaking in a way," witness Jim Smith told ABC News.
