KAILUA-KONA — A 25-year-old man was hospitalized with injuries to his hand and leg Saturday morning following a shark attack in the waters near Kukio Beach, the Department of Land and Natural Resources said Saturday.
Following the incident, which DLNR said occurred around 9:30 a.m., Hawaii County Civil Defense announced that public beach access in the area was closed and remained closed through Saturday.
Hawaii Fire Department Acting West Hawaii Battalion Chief Michael Grace confirmed earlier in the day that a man had been attacked by a shark in the area and was taken to North Hawaii Community Hospital via helicopter.
DLNR spokesman Dan Dennison, who said the Division of Aquatic Resources was notified of the incident, said the man was 25 and sustained multiple injuries to his hand and leg.
He said standard procedure is to set up beach closure signs to warn ocean-goers for a mile on either side of the incident location until noon the following day.
A decision on whether to reopen the beaches, based on observations, will be made this morning, Dennison added.