Shark attack leaves beachgoers shaken as popular tourist haven goes on alert
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A renowned Hawaiian vacation spot has been temporarily shut to visitors following a shark attack that left a surfer injured earlier this week.

The unfortunate event took place just after 3 p.m. on November 5, when a surfer encountered a shark while in the waters of Hanalei Bay on Kaua’i island, the Ocean Safety Bureau (OSB) reported in a statement.

The injured surfer, a local resident, sustained leg wounds and received immediate care from first responders before being transferred to the nearby Wilcox Medical Center, officials confirmed.

As of now, authorities have been unable to ascertain details about the shark’s size or species, according to the statement.

An image of a beach in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii

A male surfer was injured in the legs by a shark while swimming in the waters of Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. (iStock)

Details regarding the condition of the surfer and if the beach has been reopened were not immediately available. 

As a precaution, signs reading “Shark Sighted” and “No Swimming” have been posted throughout the beach, and lifeguards are patrolling the coastline to warn tourists not to enter the water.

The bite came on the same day another nearby beach was closed to swimmers following a reported shark sighting.

A great white shark swims underwater

Officials have been unable to determine the size and type of shark that bit a surfer while in the waters of Hanalei Bay, Hawaii on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.  (iStock)

Po‘ipū Beach – located just 45 miles from Hanalei Bay – also saw closures this week after a shark was spotted approximately two hours after Wednesday’s attack.

OSB officials reported that a 3-to-4 foot reef shark was seen in the waters near the beach, resulting in authorities closing the area to swimmers, according to the Kaua’i Fire Department.

As of Oct. 12, there had been 16 reported shark bites throughout the United States in 2025, including one attack in Hawaii, according to data from trackingsharks.com.

An image of a beach in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii

Officials closed the beach in Hanalei Bay, Hawaii, after the surfer was bitten by a shark on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, as authorities warned visitors to refrain from swimming in the area. (iStock)

Last year, there were 71 reported bites — including 47 unprovoked attacks — worldwide, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.

The Kaua’i Fire Department and OSB did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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