Saturday, September 19, 2009

1st Fatal Shark Attack Off Carolina Coast In 8 Years

Here is a news article about it:
Pennsylvania man was victim
of fatal shark attack
The first on the North Carolina coast in 8 years


Richard A. Snead, 60, of Ross Township, a suburb of Pittsburgh, whose body was found on a beach in Kill Devil Hills on Thursday morning, died of shark bites, according to the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office.

Snead had last been seen by his wife last Saturday night when he went for a swim at Corolla Beach, some 28 miles north of Kill Devil Hills. A family member was unable to identify his remains, which were sent to the state Medical Examiner in Greenville where identification was made. A spokesman said the cause of death was "multiple injuries over the whole body" from shark bites.

A Currituck deputy later said he believes Snead was the first victim of a fatal shark attack in county waters since 2000.

Since then, the last confirmed fatality on the North Carolina coast was in September of 2001 at Avon on Hatteras Island in Dare County when a Russian couple was attacked. The 27-year-old man died from blood loss. His girlfriend lost a foot but survived. The two were vacationing on the Outer Banks and were attacked while swimming near a sandbar around 6 o’clock in the evening (shark feeding time).


The shark species that attacked Mr. Snead has yet to be identified but brings to mind the Great White sightings off the coast of Massachusetts earlier this month around Labor Day. Anyways, here is a more detailed news report: Autopsy: Shark killed man who washed up in Kill Devil Hills. Let us keep the Snead family in our prayers as they face the aftermath of this rare and tragic event.

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