Aggressive Shark Sighting in Maui

No one was injured after a Tiger shark deflated an inflatable stand-up paddle board about 200 yards offshore in Kīhei.

The incident occurred this morning when a man, in the ocean with a group of other paddlers, said a 10-12-foot-long Tiger shark bit the back of inflatable.

57-year-old Larry Oberto of Maui and Seattle, said the shark bit the back of his inflatable which immediately deflated. Another paddler, identified by Oberto as Al Gaston was nearby on a board so he saw swam over to him and got on his board. The pair began heading toward land. They report the shark was acting very aggressively and pursued them to shore.

At approximately 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) were notified of the incident and warning signs were posted one mile in each direction to to let ocean goers know of the possibility of a shark in the vicinity.

Officers and the signs are advising people to stay out of the water from Cove Park to Waipu‘ilani Park in Kīhei until an all-clear is issued. Authorities will continue warnings until at least noon, the day following an incident, after they’ve had an opportunity to survey the water for continued shark presence.