Boy, 13, dies after being mauled by shark at popular tourist beach destination
A 13-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a shark at a popular tourist spot.
The boy, who has now been identified as Deivson Rocha Dantas, was swimming at Del Chifre Beach in Brazil on Thursday (January 29) when he was targeted by the shark.
According to translated local outlets, as per PEOPLE, the teenager was rushed to Tricentenário Hospital in Bairro Novo, but sadly passed away from his injuries, which included a bite on the right thigh.
Levy Dalton, the medic who treated Dantas, told reporters, as per UOL Notícias Brasil: "Unfortunately, we were unable to resuscitate him, [...] unfortunately we couldn't do much for him.
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"He had a fairly extensive injury to an artery in his lower limb, and because the injury was so extensive, he probably lost a lot of blood.
"That's what led to his death. He arrived at the unit already deceased."
Lídia Emanuele, who is the cousin of the boy, told TV Globo that he had been pulled from the water following the attack, according to local outlet G1.
"[The shark] ate almost his entire leg. We called the ambulance, but they didn't arrive in time. So, his own friends, who were the same age as him, pulled him out. They took him out of the sea, dragged him to the corner, and put him on the ground. He also fainted and hit his head. By then he was already cold," Emanuele said.
Speaking of Dantas' mother - who reportedly did not know he was at the beach - Emanuele added: "I was at my grandmother's house. She lives right there [near the beach], on the second floor. I had gone downstairs because my uncle had called his [Deivson's] mother, because he came to the beach secretly, his mother didn't know.
"Then, when I got here, his friend was already shouting and saying that the shark had gotten him. I only managed to see the fin and a little bit of the shark. It was big."
In a statement, the State Committee for Monitoring Shark Incidents (CEMIT) said: "The State Committee for Monitoring of Shark Incidents (CEMIT), chaired by the State Secretary for Environment, Sustainability and Fernando de Noronha, confirmed an incident early this Thursday afternoon (29), at Praia Del Chifre, in Olinda, by a sea animal, probably a shark with an identifying species. The incident involved a 13-year-old teenager, who did not withstand his injuries and died.
"CEMIT informs that 150 signs have been installed on the area subject to shark incidents on the coast of Pernambuco, of which, 13 are located in Olinda and 4 specifically, on Del Chifre beach. The area has been monitored by CEMIT for recording incidents since the 90s and is included in State Decree 21.402/99 to establish a ban on practices of nautical activities due to its high risk of incidents."
Topics: World News, News, Shark, Animals
Lucy Devine