Predator attack on Thailand's dream beach: Eight-year-old injured - authorities are puzzled

Created: 05/03/2022, 15:25

By: Anna Lorenz

A shark?

A barracuda?

Or even a whale?

Authorities aren't sure what exactly attacked the boy.

(symbol image) © McPHOTO/imago

On May 1, a disturbing incident took place on the Thai island of Phuket: an eight-year-old boy was attacked and injured in the water.

Phuket – A frightening thing happened on May 1 on the popular holiday island of Phuket: an eight-year-old Ukrainian-Thai boy was attacked by a predatory fish in the sea on Kamala Beach on the Thai island.

As the local newspaper

reports, the animal inflicted serious injuries on the boy's right leg.

So far, however, the responsible authorities have not been able to determine which predatory fish caused the bite wounds.

Thailand: Boy (8) bitten on the beach – this is how the child is doing now

As the local newspaper reports, the notified rescue workers found the eight-year-old, who had been swimming in the sea with his father, bleeding and lying on the ground.

The child was in severe pain and was taken to Bangkok Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

There the many deep wounds on his right leg were treated.

Unbelievable: When the attacking animal bit his leg, the eight-year-old had the presence of mind to hit him on the head and free himself.

The boy is said to be doing better now.

The administrator of the Kathu district, Ciwat Rawangkun, had warning signs put up on Kamala Beach until further notice.

Also by means of English and Thai announcements over loudspeakers, beachgoers would be warned to beware of "injurious and poisonous sea creatures".

What exactly attacked the eight-year-old boy is still unknown.

Thailand: Predator seriously injures 8-year-old - Which sea creature is behind the attack?

The events are "similar to an incident that happened to a Chinese tourist two years ago," recalled Apisit Anan, who runs a beach on Kamala Beach.

He publicly guessed that a barracuda attacked the boy.

"They like to eat small fish, and unprompted attacks on humans are more common than you might think." The

reports that the boy's doctors agree with this assessment.

David Martin, an underwater photographer and shark expert with the Ocean For All Foundation, told the

he believes a juvenile blue shark was behind the attack on the eight-year-old boy.

"These wounds are different from those of other marine animals," says the Frenchman, "they are unique because they are based on a specific sequence of movements."

Phuket Marine Biology Center director Kongkiat Kittiwattawong also argued that the attacking predator must be a shark.

However , he told the

he was convinced that a blacktip shark or a bull shark was behind the attack.