14 DAY TRIAL // A man from Stevenson, Washington was killed yesterday, December 3, as he was fishing from his kayak between the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Molokini. The attack was unprovoked, Patrick Briney's fishing partner told the media, but remained savage nonetheless.
According to early reports, Briney was dangling his foot over the side of the boat at the fishing location, which lies near the popular snorkeling and scuba diving spot of Molokini. The shark latched onto his leg and began biting wildly, NPR reports.
Briney's fishing partner sought help with nearby boats, and eventually managed to get the 57-year-old man to the hospital, but his blood loss was too severe, and he succumbed to his wounds. The type of shark that bit him is unknown at this point.
This is the last in a long line of instances where sharks off the island of Maui attacked tourists for no apparent reason. Official statistics say that about 4 sudden attacks occur yearly, but their frequency appears to have spiked dramatically over the last year.
Researchers are already conducting a 2-year study on the behavior of sharks in the region, which will eventually provide more insights into why these attacks occur.