Waterford: Man bitten by blue shark to undergo surgery

A man bitten by a blue shark while working on a research-tagging trip off the coast of County Waterford is expected to undergo surgery, according to the report. Sebastian Achim was part of a crew tagging sharks near Ram Head, Ardmore, when the incident occurred on Tuesday. The fishermen caught sharks, attached tags, and released them. Achim said he hooked and removed the hook easily, stayed at least half a metre from the shark’s tail, and then was bitten on the leg in a sudden strike as the animal reacted to the situation. He tied a rope above the wound and the crew called emergency services. After the response involved the Irish Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue 117, Ballycotton RNLI and Youghal RNLI, Achim was taken to Cork University Hospital, where doctors told him he is missing tissue and will need skin grafts. The article notes blue sharks are long-distance migrants in Irish waters from June to October on catch-and-release by anglers.