Man suffers 'serious arm injury' in shark attack on fishing boat in Irish waters
Blue sharks are most common species in Irish waters but attacks on human are rare
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Belfast man suffered a serious lower arm injury after being bitten by a shark while fishing off the coast of Cork on Saturday.
The man was given immediate first aid by the crew of the angling boat he was on and was later transferred to a lifeboat for further casualty care.
Crosshaven RNLI volunteers were called to the scene at 6pm.
The man is believed to have been bitten by a blue shark, which are the most common species of shark in Irish waters.
The species is considered to be relatively unaggressive and examples of attacks on humans are rare.
Until 2013, blue sharks are thought to have been involved in just 13 biting incidents with humans and they are not usually dangerous to people. Only four biting incidents have ended fatally.
A RNLI spokesperson sought to bring calm to the incident saying: "This was more of an angling accident than a shark attack, there was a bit of a struggle when pulling the shark on board.
"We're not trying to panic anyone."
The deep-sea angling boat Deora De, where the attack took place, sailed towards Crosshaven after the incident and met with a lifeboat about four miles south of Roches Point, Cork.
The lifeboat was then met by an ambulance at Crosshaven, which transported the man to Cork University Hospital.
In a statement on Facebook, Crosshaven RNLI said: "We wish the patient well."
Blue sharks are considered “seasonal visitors” to British and Irish waters, according to the Shark Trust, and usually feed on small fish and squid.
The species is believed to have a lifespan of more than 20 years and grow to a length between six and seven feet on average, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Agencies contributed to this report
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments