The teenager, who has been identified as Deivson Rocha Dantas, was swimming at Del Chifre Beach in Brazil on Thursday (January 29) when the attack happened.
According to translated reports from local outlets, cited by PEOPLE, Deivson was rushed to Tricentenário Hospital in Bairro Novo after the incident.
Despite urgent medical care, he later died from his injuries, which included a severe bite to his right thigh.
“He had a fairly extensive injury to an artery in his lower limb, and because the injury was so extensive, he probably lost a lot of blood.”
“That’s what led to his death. He arrived at the unit already deceased.”
“[The shark] ate almost his entire leg. We called the ambulance, but they didn’t arrive in time. So, his own friends, who were the same age as him, pulled him out. They took him out of the sea, dragged him to the corner, and put him on the ground. He also fainted and hit his head. By then he was already cold,” Emanuele said.
“Then, when I got here, his friend was already shouting and saying that the shark had gotten him. I only managed to see the fin and a little bit of the shark. It was big.”
Residents and officials have repeatedly warned swimmers about the risks in the area, especially during certain times of the day when conditions are more dangerous.
“CEMIT informs that 150 signs have been installed on the area subject to shark incidents on the coast of Pernambuco, of which, 13 are located in Olinda and 4 specifically, on Del Chifre beach. The area has been monitored by CEMIT for recording incidents since the 90s and is included in State Decree 21.402/99 to establish a ban on practices of nautical activities due to its high risk of incidents.”
