Beaches closed after shark bites surfer at Port Alfred

A Port Alfred man was bitten by a shark while surfing with friends on Wednesday morning.

National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the man, in his early 20s, was surfing at the town’s East Beach at about 10.30am when he was bitten by what appeared to be a juvenile Great White shark.

“Ndlambe municipal authorities, the SA Police Services, Gardmed ambulance services, Ndlambe Municipal Protection Services and NSRI Port Alfred duty crew responded to the scene, where the surfer was already safe out the water and attended to by paramedics for lacerations to his leg. He has been transported to hospital by ambulance in a stable condition,” he said.

“A cautionary advisory is issued by Ndlambe municipality for bathers and paddlers to be aware of this incident and to exercise caution around the coastline of Port Alfred.

Ndlambe Municipal Protection Services has closed all beaches around Port Alfred to bathers until further notice.

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