A popular beach in Hawaii has been closed to the public after a surfer was bitten by a shark earlier this week.
According to Fox News, the attack happened shortly after 3 p.m. on Nov. 5, when a local surfer was bitten while swimming in Hanalei Bay on the island of Kaua’i, the Ocean Safety Bureau (OSB) said in a news release.
The surfer suffered injuries to his legs and was treated by first responders at the scene before being transported to Wilcox Medical Center, officials said.
Authorities have not yet determined the size or type of shark involved, according to the release.
Officials have not provided an update on the surfer’s condition or confirmed if the beach has reopened.
As a precaution, “Shark Sighted” and “No Swimming” signs have been posted throughout Hanalei Bay, and lifeguards are patrolling the coastline to warn tourists to stay out of the water.
The bite came the same day another Kaua’i beach was closed to swimmers following a reported shark sighting.
Po‘ipū Beach — about 45 miles from Hanalei Bay — was also shut down after a 3-to-4-foot reef shark was seen in the water roughly two hours after the Hanalei Bay incident, the Kaua’i Fire Department said.
As of Oct. 12, there had been 16 reported shark bites across the United States in 2025, including one in Hawaii, according to data from trackingsharks.com.
Last year, there were 71 reported shark bites worldwide, including 47 unprovoked attacks, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.
