Angler suffers arm injury after being bitten by shark while deep-sea fishing off coast of Cork

Ellen Manning
<em>Injured – a man was bitten by a shark while deep-sea fishing off the coast of Cork (Stock picture: Getty)</em>
Injured – a man was bitten by a shark while deep-sea fishing off the coast of Cork (Stock picture: Getty)

A man has been bitten by a shark while deep-sea fishing off the coast of Cork.

The man suffered a serious lower arm injury during the incident, which happened on Saturday evening while he was deep-sea angling.

He was given immediate first aid by the crew before being transferred to a lifeboat for further treatment.

The RNLI said the incident was more of an angling accident than a shark attack and said it didn’t want to cause panic.

<em>Following the incident the boat sailed towards Crosshaven (pictured) and was met by the Crosshaven lifeboat (Picture: Getty)</em>
Following the incident the boat sailed towards Crosshaven (pictured) and was met by the Crosshaven lifeboat (Picture: Getty)

It said Crosshaven RNLI volunteers were called to the scene at 6pm.

The boat, Deora De, sailed towards Crosshaven from about eight miles offshore and was met by the Crosshaven lifeboat about four miles south of Roches Point.

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The lifeboat was met at Crosshaven by an ambulance and the man was transported to Cork University Hospital.

A RNLI spokesman said: “This was more of an angling accident than a shark attack, there was a bit of a struggle when pulling the shark on board. We’re not trying to panic anyone.”

The most common species of shark in Irish waters is the blue shark, though they rarely bite humans.

They usually feed on small fish and squid, and can live for around 20 years.

Crosshaven RNLI added: “We wish the patient well.”