PUKOO, Molokai – An Oahu man spearfishing off the Kupeke Fishpond at Pukoo was attacked by a shark that lacerated his face and right shoulder shortly after noon on Saturday, Molokai police reported.
The victim was pulled from the wall of the fishpond by the Maui Fire Department’s Air One helicopter, and transferred at the Pukoo Fire Station to the new Maui County Air Med helicopter for transport to Maui Memorial Medical Center.
Police Sgt. Eugene Santiago on Molokai said the victim, identified only as a 34-year-old man, was reported in guarded condition Saturday evening after undergoing a surgical procedure to repair the damage to his face and shoulder.
The attack was reported at about 12:30 p.m. by Pukoo residents who responded to the call for help after the diver was able to make his way to the rock wall around the fishpond.
Kupeke is a mostly intact fishpond just north of the equally large Pukoo fishpond that was converted into a harbor. The rock walls around the nearly 50-acre pond are still in good condition and the pond is traditionally noted for having the best quality mullet, according to Molokai residents familiar with the area.
It is protected by a wide reef. But when the Pukoo fish pond was turned into a harbor, the channel opened the area to sharks.
Santiago said two Oahu men had been diving outside the fish pond, but the second diver had come back to shore just before noon and before the attack occurred. The victim had continued to dive by himself when the shark struck him on his right side. The victim was bleeding severely but was able to make his way to the fish pond wall with the help of a kayaker, Santiago said.
Assistant Fire Chief Frank Tam said a fire/rescue crew from the Pukoo station attempted to assist the victim but was unable to move him safely from the wall about 100 yards from the shoreline.
Air One was called to assist at 12:40 p.m. and was on the scene at 1:13 p.m., Tam said. The rescue crew was able to strap the victim to a sling, which transported him to the Pukoo station at 1:28 p.m., where he was picked up by the Air Med helicopter.
He was flown to the War Memorial Complex parking lot in Wailuku for transfer to the hospital by about 2 p.m.
Santiago said police were not able to speak to the diver and had no information on the shark that attacked him other than that “it was a big shark.”