The NSRI, Municipal lifeguards and local authorities at St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis are urging bathers, surfers, and paddlers not to enter the water at local beaches following a shark incident at Cape St Francis Beach on Tuesday afternoon.
NSRI St Francis Bay deputy station commander Stuart Obray says local authorities are monitoring and will advise on the status as local Municipal lifeguards fly the No Swimming Shark Sighting flag - specifically at Cape St Francis Beach.
Obray says the NSRI St Francis Bay duty crew and a local doctor were activated just after 3pm following reports of a local 19 year old male surfer bitten on the knee by a shark while surfing close in-shore at Cape St Francis Beach.
Obray says the surfer was found to already be on the beach after friends and fellow surfers assisted him from the water.
Local Municipal lifeguards treated the patient for shock and for lacerations to his left knee and below the left knee and further medical assistance was then provided by a local doctor and the NSRI.
Private Care ambulance services were summoned and the patient was transported to hospital in a stable condition.
A shark bite kit stored at the beach was used to assist in the treatment of the young surfer.
Obray says the species of shark remains unknown and initial observations suggest that the injuries may have been caused by a relatively small shark but this cannot be confirmed at this stage.
Shark working groups will investigate.
