Young surfer killed in shark attack off French coast
A 13-year-old boy was killed on Sunday (April 12) after being attacked by a shark.
Elio Canestri, was surfing off the coast of La Reunion in the French Indian Ocean.
The boy was in an off-limits section of water of the west coast of the island when the shark had tore off the right-hand side of the boy's body.
According to the BBC, the boy was said to be a keen and talented surfer.
According to The Irish Mirror, hundreds of people gathered on the beach of the island to pay tribute to Elio.
The attack was the seventh deadly shark attack in the waters there since 2011.
Immediately after the attack, the authorities put in a "post-attack procedure" in a bid to capture the shark.
In a statement, the authorities said that specialised boats were deployed in the immediate areas around the attack.
Although they caught a tiger shark measuring 3.5m, medical examination of the boy's body revealed that they had not got their shark.
Local police chief Dominique Sorain stressed that engaging in water-based activities outside the protected zone is "extremely dangerous”.
“More than ever, we have to be doubly vigilant and the best way to prevent accidents is to respect the ban,” he added.
In February, island authorities extended until February 2016 a law prohibiting swimming and other water-based activities such as surfing and windsurfing except in special areas.
Source: BBC, Irish Mirror, Twitter
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