Authorities believe an 11-year-old Hawaiian girl was bitten in the leg by a shark at a popular beach on Saturday, according to local reports.
The incident happened just before 1:30 p.m. at a spot known among surfers as “Rainbow” in Kaawa, Oahu, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.
The child, whose name has not been released, suffered what appeared to be a shark bite on his left leg, an EMS spokesperson told the paper.
EMS said the injuries were not life-threatening and the girl’s parents refused emergency room treatment.
10 people died in unprovoked shark attacks last year, higher than global average, study finds: ‘It’s a bit worrying’
The reported shark bite occurred in waters off Kaawah on Saturday. (Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
Witnesses told the newspaper they saw what appeared to be a small white shark off the coast.
Newborn great white shark ‘first ever sighted’, possibly captured in California
Officials said the incident was the first reported shark encounter in Hawaii in 2024. (Dave J. Hogan/Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images)
Hawaii News Now, citing the Department of Land and Natural Resources, reported that the incident marks Hawaii’s first shark encounter in 2024.
Click to get the FOX News app
In December, a 39-year-old man died after encountering a shark while surfing off Maui’s north coast.
