13-year-old surf champion attacked by a shark

by Etienne LB( Dec 8, 2003)

 Bethany Hamilton, a 13-year old surf champion, was attacked by a shark near Hawai on 7th November. The young girl lost her left arm, which was erased by the creature. After her accident, she had two surgical operations . On the 7th, she was surfing with two friends when the shark attacked her."The sea was limpid and nobody saw him", said Bethany to the television, from her hospital bed."My arm was in the water. The shark drew me in all directions, but I clang to my board and the squale gave up the battle.

 Then I howled: a shark has bitten me". A friend of Bethany’s used a leash (a small cord which connects the ankle to the surfing board) to make a tourniquet and stop the haemorrhage. The other man alerted the rescuers. According to doctors at the Wilcox Memorial hospital, the young athlete was saved by the reflexes of his friends and her extraordinary physical shape. The shark ate a piece of 40 cm by 20 on the surfing board, which means that the animal was approximately 4 m in length, according to the firemen.

Bethany won many surfing competitions, often by beating older surfers. She hoped to become a professional

Now her career is definitely finished. 

Every year, there are approximately 20 fatal accidents with sharks. But often victims are seriously hurt.

For more information about this subject, you can use the following links:

http://www.electricbluefishing.com/SHARKATTACKS.htm

http://www.sharkmans-world.com/enter.htm (click on "shark attacks"):

"In the year 2000, 85 people were bitten by sharks, of which 12 were killed. That same year, in New York City alone 1600 people were bitten by other people."

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This is a very interesting article. It is so sad that a girl just thirteen years old, who was quickly growing into a professional surfer, lost her arm to a shark. Hopefully, many people will learn from this and have more lifeguards on duty. Having more lifeguards on duty could prevent more shark attacks. The only thing that is incorrect is that she will continue her surfing career, and has surfed at least once since the accident.

Your article is interesting. But a lot of people think that we have to kill sharks because they bite humans. But they need to eat! We don't have the right to kill animals only because they are dangerous. And people know that there are sharks in the sea. So they should be more careful. It's their own responsibility...

But I don't understand in which way lifeguards can help to prevent a shark attack as Emily Andrews says...

Your article is interesting because it deals with very frigthening aspects of attacks. A girl just thirteen years old who is eaten by a shark : it is really terrible!! But how do sharks confuse surfers with animals? Your article doesn't deal with the opinion of the people who have been hurt by sharks. A lot of people think that we don't like sharks because they kill humans. After reading this article, I think that many people will be careful when they swim and surf.

I would be interested in reading other articles on animals attacks.

Arnaud B (LAT, Blois)

I know this was written a long time ago, but I feel I must comment anyway.

It's obvious that your intentions are to shock the reader, and to entertain them with yet another incident to confirm the fact that sharks can eat humans. However, not only is the article poorly put together, but it demonstrates a definate lack of research on the subject. For example, you close the article with the dramatic statement "Now her career is definitely finished"

But if you had actually researched this more thoroughly, you would have found that this incident was actually the beginning of Bethany's fame. Mere weeks after her surgery she was back on her board and competing...and winning. Just go to http://www.bethanyhamilton.com/ and see for yourself.

Bethany's story should never be used to illustrate such forboding and doom. It is one of hope and strength, and proof that life goes on. Perhaps your articles could convey a message with such meaning.