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Kiteboarder Killed by Sharks | www.usspost.com

February 4, 2010 by · Comments Off on Kiteboarder Killed by Sharks | www.usspost.com 

Kiteboarder Killed by Sharks | www.usspost.com:The man, who was killed in a shark attack while off the Automobile Club of South Florida’s Atlantic coast was experienced in the water, and usually went out with friends, and his friend on Thursday.

Stephen Howard Shaffer, 38, is the first person killed in shark attack in Florida within five years, experts said.

Schafer and guards monitored the plight of some 500 meters off the beach Wednesday that about 100 miles north of Miami. When rowing on guard outside of the surfboard large, Schaefer found bleeding and surrounded by many of the sharks. Schafer and put guards on his board and paddled him back to the beach.

Shaffer was taken to hospital and died shortly after. Authorities are investigating what types of sharks, and whether they involved multiple shark bit Schafer. Beaches remained open Thursday.

Shark attacks, especially fatal ones, are extremely rare, “said George Burgess, a leading shark expert who runs the International Shark Attack File at the University of Florida and the Museum of Natural History.

The attack on the Schafer was one of the deadly 14th in the state since 1896.

“Internationally, we have a rate of four deaths per year, despite the fact that there are billions and billions of human hours spent in the sea every year,” Burgess said Thursday. “Your chances of death in the shark’s mouth on the verge of infinitesimal.”

Schafer said friends and always follow the system of friends and roaming, while surprised he was in water alone.

“We always knew that the sharks () there. You see them this time of year,” said Tig Taylor, a childhood friend who says Schafer learn to surf. “It’s hard to believe that such an experienced sailor would make this one mistake.”

Schafer, a talented artist and graphic designer, was drawn to the water as a child. He surfed and competitive Later, I began sailing, windsurfing, and club cars. Kiteboarders browse through the water on the plates strapped to their feet, using a large curved sails to pull them along.

“It was not to be on the water,” said Taylor, who runs a local surf shop.

The United States leads the world in the number of attacks that do not unduly penny, some violent, some not, with about 1,032 documented since 1670, according to the International Shark Attack File. Of these, 50 were fatal. Florida leads the world with more than 600 attacks.

The last fatal shark attack in the state was in 2005 off the Florida Panhandle, where (14 years), was attacked old Louisiana girl while swimming on a body about 100 yards off the beach.

“Florida geographical entity, more than anywhere else in the world,” Burgess, noting that most of the attacks are small “, ie the equivalent of a dog bite.”

While attacks are rare, and Burgess said, people still need to be careful in the ocean.

“We need to respect that, and when we go into the sea, and there are some risks that we should expect,” he said.

However, Burgess pointed out that this time of year there are usually a smaller number of shark attacks in Florida because temperatures are cooler, and not so many people in the water.

The Sharks are lining “in South Florida prepares to move to the north,” where temperatures begin warm.

“The sharks move gradually working their way north and disperse,” said Burgess. “The message to take this house is rare and unusual, and should position the antenna up to the people, on the one hand, ‘Yes, we need to be careful when we go into the sea, but we must do so every time we did not guarantee safety 100 percent of the time when entering the world of the wild. “

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