German woman bitten by suspected shark at Phang Nga beach
A German woman underwent surgery at a hospital in Phuket yesterday after being bitten by an unidentified fish, suspected to be a shark while swimming in the sea off Khao Lak Beach in the southern province of Phang Nga.
The 57 year old woman, Elke Maier, was swimming with her four family members near Khaolak Laguna Resort on November 29 when she suddenly screamed in pain. She was found with a bite wound on her right shin and was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital.
A hotel staff member, 29 year old Athiti Pinyo, told ThaiRath that the incident occurred at approximately 11am. He heard Maier screaming for help and quickly brought a rescue foam board, assuming the foreign tourist was drowning.
Athiti then noticed a bite wound approximately 20 centimetres long on Maier’s leg. He emphasised that the German woman did not venture far into the water, as she was swimming at chest depth. Maier herself was unable to identify the animal that attacked her.
According to a report by the Mirror, some beachgoers who witnessed the incident shouted “shark, shark” as it happened.
Thai marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat commented on his Facebook account on the day of the incident, stating that the wound suggested it might have been caused by a shark. He speculated that the species involved could be either a bull shark or a blacktip reef shark.
Shark or great barracuda
Thon theorised that the shark may have mistaken Maier’s moving legs for prey and bit her only once before realising its mistake.
Thon noted that shark bites in Thailand occur roughly every three to five years and are rarely fatal. Furthermore, he pointed out that such incidents are not repeated in the same location, indicating that sharks do not deliberately target humans.
However, some Thai netizens speculated that the fish responsible might have been a great barracuda rather than a shark.
Representatives from the Tourist Police visited Maier at the hospital yesterday. Police later informed the news outlet Phuket Hotnews that Maier’s condition had significantly improved, and she underwent a second surgery that evening.
The cost of her treatment was covered by her insurance in Germany. Tourist Police also provided her with contact details for the German Consulate in Phuket in case she required further assistance.
Officers emphasised that they were patrolling beaches in the Khao Lak area to ensure the safety of tourists. They also urged beachgoers to exercise increased caution while swimming.
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