Swimming has been banned in the Sea of Japan off Russia's Far Eastern Primorye Territory after two shark attacks in the past week have left two people hospitalized, Russian media report.
The first attack occurred Wednesday when a 25-year-old man lost both arms up to the elbow, Pravda reported. He was hospitalized in serious condition but expected to survive, according to the report.
Witnesses said the shark was about 13 feet (4 meters) long with large fins, according to the Pravda report.
The second attack occurred in a nearby area Thursday when a 16-year-old boy suffered severe wounds to his legs, RIA Novosti reported. The boy was hospitalized in Vladivostok, the report said. The boy's diving suit prevented the shark from taking his legs, according to a Moscow Times report.
Authorities suspect the same shark was responsible for both attacks, according to the Pravda report.
Alexander Sokolovsky, a candidate of biological sciences at the Far Eastern Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Pravda that recent storms may have made the waters off Russia's eastern coast more desirable for sharks.
"After a typhoon, the waters here become even better for sharks. The sharks are very sensitive to ecology, but the water here is clear," Pravda quoted Sokolovsky as saying. "They come here for food. When there is a shortage of their common food - fish and squid - they swim here searching for bigger food - seals, for example. Maybe the shark took those two people for seals."
Great white sharks have been spotted in the region before, but these are the first attacks Sokolovsky has seen in 51 years in the area, according to Pravda.
Authorities were putting together a team to find and kill the suspect shark, according to the RIA Novosti report.
It is a sad story and I pray for the healing and full recovery of the victims, and for miracles of freedom of paralysis and disability in their lives, and for their loved ones and families/friends. What is up with that Jaws comment below?
Cool!
Too bad it wasn't Putin !
You mean, too bad it wasn't you. Ignorant fool.
I don't understand when experts say they are putting together a team to find the shark and kill it. The shark is only doing what is natural in THEIR own environment. It's not like sharks are coming onto the streets and biting people in OUR environment. There is always a risk when humans go into environments where we are not top predators.I wish a speedy recovery for the victims of course, but we do have to realize the ocean belongs to sea life, not to us.
Totally agree...let the shark be.
I'm pretty sure that they will need a bigger boat...
Bad, bad shark! You kill things(sometimes people) for food. You will be judged someday you bad shark! You should learn to kill things like humans do, for greed, for power, for fun. You very bad shark. No one is innocent. And you're next bears, until you can learn to act like a human and kill someone for their cellphone you are worthless.
Don't forget about killer bees!!!
It is ridiculous to hunt this creature down and kill it. The ironic thing is, if it were a human predator, it would be sentenced to a few years and subsequently released early due to prison over- crowding, since it didn't kill anyone...how the determination to destroy it was ever rationally justified to even one human, muchless a group, is beyond my comprehension...sheer foolishness.
Hooper drives the boat Chief.
The Russian still trying to out do Americans. Your not suppose to Hill Billy hand fish with sharks.
Sharkfin soup, anyone?
It's Obama's fault!
Not as bad as the story from Siberia about the girl who called her mom screaming for help for nearly an hour while a mother brown bear and its three cubs ate her alive.
These two sharks are hired by ILLUMINATI cabal to attack Russia becuase their ICBM failed to reach Russia. This is completely New World Order. Watch Youtube "Reptilian Hulk Hogan" to learn New World Order. Enjoy!
we eat them, they eat us. im perfectly fine with that arrangement
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water.
I LIKED that movie with burt reynolds = shark's machine...
wow, so many dumb comments. i guess none of you righteous peta crowd have ever gone swimming in the sea. two young people were badly injured, don't know what's there to laugh or gloat about.