The NSRI was notified of a 40-year-old man reported to have been bitten by a shark while free diving at Mngcibe, Mdumbi near Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape on May 1.
According to Bruce Sandman, NSRI headquarters operations manager, at approximately 14:00 on May 1, they received information about a man that had been bitten by a shark at Mdumbi beach.
He said NSRI Mdumbi lifeguards and NSRI headquarters lifeguard instructors, who are in the area conducting lifeguard training, responded.
“On arrival on the scene, it was found that a local man had sustained lacerations from a shark bite, and he was in a stable condition,” said Sandman.
“He was transported by private transport to a local medical clinic where he was attended to by a doctor.”
Sandman said NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), an NSRI Headquarters Operations duty controller, NSRI East London duty controllers and NSRI Eastern Cape regional duty controllers alerted the EC Government Health EMS who dispatched their EMS helicopter, Mercy Wing 9.
“The man who is in a stable condition, was airlifted to hospital in the care of EMS paramedics for further medical care and he is recovering,” said Sandman.
He said NSRI and local authorities are appealing to bathers in the area to be cautious.
