THE body of a paddle boarder has been found by a fisherman after he was reportedly savaged to death by a shark.
The 53-year-old man was discovered with evidence of shark bites near a beach in Noumea, New Caledonia – becoming the latest in a number of attacks since the start of the year.
He was found lifeless on his board late Saturday just off the Nouville peninsula, on the main island of the French South Pacific territory.
An autopsy to confirm the cause of death is expected on Monday.
“At this stage, investigators do indeed suspect a shark attack,” state prosecutor Yves Dupas said in a statement.
Authorities regularly issue shark alerts and warn swimmers to be vigilant for several species found in the waters surrounding New Caledonia.
This horrific incident is just the latest in a spate of attacks this year.
In February, a 57-year-old man was killed near Maitre island after being bitten by a shark that witnesses say was four metres (13 feet) long.
Authorities also believe the disappearance of a swimmer and a boater earlier this year could be due to sharks that have settled along the coasts near Noumea.
Twenty-four sharks – that officials say were particularly large or aggressive – were culled near the capital last month.
It comes after the Sun reported last year that nine people had been killed in some 60 shark attacks worldwide during 2020 – the highest figure since 2013.
Scientists have suggested shifting hunting grounds, the weather, an increase in staycations, overfishing and even “chance” may have played a role in the spike.
In total, eight men and one woman, aged between 17 and 63, were killed by sharks in 2020.
Speaking last year, Dr Blake Chapman, a marine biologist who examined shark neuroscience for her PhD, told Guardian Australia that some attacks with multiple bites suggested the sharks may be preying on humans.
She said: “In some of the cases this year it sounds like the shark hung around and bit more than once, which is unusual behaviour for great white sharks.
“When they bite more than once it’s more likely to be fatal as there’s more blood loss.”
Other experts however insist shark attacks remain rare and the figures last year are roughly in line with previous numbers over the last decade.
SHARKS have killed more people than they have in seven years, and scientists are not sure why attacks have become deadly
