A 39-year-old man died following a shark encounter at Paia Bay, Maui, Hawaii.
The incident on Saturday, December 30, 2023, prompted an immediate response from the Maui Police Department and local Ocean Safety Officers.
The Maui Police Department arrived at the beach at approximately 11:19 a.m. The man, Jason Carter, who was surfing in the bay, sustained serious injuries from the shark encounter.
Once ashore, first responders performed life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived. The victim was then transported to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical personnel, the man died from his injuries at the hospital.
Following the incident, Baldwin Beach Park and Lower Paia Park, also known as Baby Beach, were closed for the remainder of Saturday.
The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) placed shark warning signs along a one-mile stretch on either side of the incident location, extending from Tavares Bay to Baby Beach.
The DLNR indicated that if no further shark activity was detected by noon on Sunday, the warning signs would be removed.
Paia Bay is a popular destination for locals and tourists, offering opportunities for surfing and beach activities. The area has experienced previous shark incidents, including a severe incident in September 2022 when a shark attacked a 51-year-old female tourist from France, resulting in serious injuries.
Hawaii has experienced more than a half dozen shark-related incidents this year, with three occurring in the waters off Maui. This was the first fatal shark attack recorded in Hawaii in 2023.
Earlier encounters included a shark biting the tail of a surfboard near Kuau Bay and a shark biting the back of an inflatable stand-up paddleboard off Welakahao Road in Kihei, though these incidents, fortunately, did not result in any injuries.
