A boy aged between 14 and 15 lost his life in a tragic shark attack on Monday afternoon at Wailapa, South Santo.

Jethyson Paitaure, a relative of the boy and an eyewitness, told VBTC News that they were swimming just two meters from the shore when a shark attacked, biting off one side of his leg and hand.

“He lost a lot of blood. We tried our best to help him, but he died,” Mr Paitaure said.

Rough Seas and Sudden Attack

Mr Paitaure explained that earlier that afternoon, he had warned the two young boys not to go swimming because the sea was rough with strong swells. But they insisted it was safe.

“We were just swimming close to shore, in a small deep area. I saw my younger cousin go underwater. At first, I thought he was okay. Then I saw blood in the water, and he started crying out. That’s when I realized it was serious,” he said.

He described a terrifying moment when the shark circled back and pulled the boy underwater again, even as he tried to rescue him.

“He was reaching out for help, but the shark came with its tail and whipped me. I had to swim back to shore and I prayed that I wouldn’t be next.”

A Tragic End

Mr Paitaure later swam back to retrieve his cousin’s body, fearing he had already been eaten.

“When I got to him, he felt very light. I could see that one leg and one hand were gone. I still managed to bring him back to shore. We tried to take him to the clinic, but he had already passed away.”

Family Urges Caution and Preparedness

Mr Paitaure described the experience as something he would never forget.

“Death can come at any time. Families must be alert and ready. We must always pray and be careful, especially when going out to sea.”

He urged families and communities to take extra caution when near the ocean, especially during rough weather or in unfamiliar areas.

VBTC understands that this is not the first shark-related incident in Santo. With climate change and increasing human activity affecting marine environments, risks such as these are expected to increase.