Freediver Bitten at Île Platte Reef in Seychelles

On March 29, 2013, a 34-year-old male freediver encountered a shark while diving on a reef approximately 25 meters deep off Île Platte in the Seychelles. Île Platte is a low-lying sand cay surrounded by barrier reefs, located roughly 140 kilometers southeast of Mahé in the Indian Ocean. The diver observed the shark approaching and attempted to evade it, but the shark bit his left foot, causing severe lacerations. The incident occurred under clear water conditions during a waning gibbous moon phase (95% illuminated). The diver was part of a group aboard a visiting pleasure vessel anchored off the island. Crew members, including a trained medical officer, provided immediate first aid. Due to the severity of the injuries, the patient was airlifted to Mahé and admitted to Seychelles Hospital for emergency surgery on his foot. Following the surgical procedure and in consultation with hospital medical authorities, the patient was medically evacuated by air ambulance for continued specialized care. He departed Seychelles by air ambulance on the evening of March 29, 2013, at approximately 20:30 local time for further medical management at an external facility. The incident was documented by the Global Shark Accident File and investigated by Erich Ritter.