Honeymoon Shark Attack: Man Killed While Surfing in Indian Ocean

A French honeymooner was killed by a shark attack Wednesday while he was surfing off Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean.

The shark attack occurred off the popular beach of Brisants de Saint-Gilles, where the 36-year-old surfer was charged twice by the shark before others swimmers began to see the blood spread through the water around them, Agence France Presse reported.

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A nearby swimmer reportedly sounded the alarm for a shark attack, prompting several lifeguards to respond. Before they could get there, though, the victim had already lost a great deal of blood and was in cardiac arrest, officials said.

First responders were unable to revive him, after bringing him back to the beach to treat him. His newlywed wife, who was on the beach at the time, was reportedly immediately treated for shock.

The shark targeted the man's upper and lower extremities, biting both his arm and leg, mirroring a similar attack from last summer when a shark tore an arm and leg off a surfer near Reunion Island. In that case, the man survived.

Wednesday's shark attack was the first fatal attack on the island so far this year; however, in the past two years, three people were killed by sharks off the island.

While sharks are not considered man-eaters that target humans as prey, the predatory fish often mistakes sea-going humans for their natural prey, such as seals or tortoises.

Sharks have also been known to "mouth" surfers and swimmers out of curiosity, experts say. The creatures won’t necessarily attack the human with full force and the intent to eat them, but moreso to determine what they are.

Of the 78 shark attacks reported around the world in 2012, eight of them were fatal.

In light of the recent shark attack off Reunion Island, residents have been stationed along beachfronts and in boats off the coast to spot approaching sharks and prevent future attacks.

The beach where the latest attack occurred has reportedly been re-opened, but swimming and other water activities are prohibited until further notice, CBS News reported.

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