Incident Report
Swimmer Bitten Twice by Shark in Anaehoomalu Bay, Hawaii
A 60-year-old swimmer was bitten on the hand and leg while swimming 200 yards offshore in Anaehoomalu Bay on March 19, 2023. After reaching a nearby catamaran, he was transported to hospital with severe but non-fatal injuries.
Please take a moment to consider the human impact of this event on the victim and their loved ones. The data presented here documents real events that affected real people and families.
Incident Profile
Circumstances
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On March 19, 2023, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a 60-year-old male swimmer from Utah was bitten by a shark while swimming in Anaehoomalu Bay near Waikoloa on Hawaiʻi Island. The incident occurred roughly 200 yards offshore in the Pacific Ocean. The swimmer first sustained a bite to his left hand. While attempting to defend himself against the shark, he received a second bite behind his left knee. Acting quickly, the victim called for help and managed to reach a nearby moored catamaran. The catamaran's crew assisted him aboard and provided immediate first aid, controlling bleeding from both his hand and leg injuries. Ocean Safety personnel responded to the emergency and transported the swimmer via jet ski to shore. Hawaiʻi County Fire Department responders met him at the beach and recorded their arrival time at 12:42 p.m. The victim was taken to North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital for treatment of his upper and lower extremity wounds. The shark species and size were not determined or disclosed by state officials. In response to the incident, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) posted "Shark Sighted" warning signs and closed Anaehoomalu Beach for the remainder of that day. A helicopter flyover conducted the following Monday detected no sharks in the area, leading to the removal of warning signs and reopening of the beach. The incident was classified as unprovoked.