A fishing trip turned tragic on Saturday when a fisherman from Bua was killed in a shark attack that severed his left arm. Marika Nasau, 22, succumbed to his injuries, which led to significant blood loss, as reported back in May 1997.
The police in Nabouwalu confirmed that Nasau was fishing with 14 other villagers. The group departed from Naivaka early Saturday morning, heading towards Motonisici Reef, located off Yaqaga Island, where the deadly incident occurred around 2 PM.
During the fishing outing, Nasau attempted to dive about 25 meters from his companions. Shortly after, the group heard splashing noises and noticed a shark’s fin. They witnessed Nasau struggling against the shark’s attack but were unable to intervene due to the danger posed by the predator.
Despite their efforts to help, the shark’s ferocity hindered any rescue attempts. Nasau’s right arm was severely injured during the attack. According to police, the villagers confirmed that the shark was very large, but the nature of the attack was so sudden that they could not identify the species.
Inspector Selanai Raumakita from the Central Police Station indicated that the incident was first reported to Nabouwalu Police Station and subsequently relayed to Labasa Police Station. Director of Fisheries Maciu Logabalavu noted that shark attacks in the area are rare, marking this as the first such incident along the Bua coast. The last fatal attack recorded was in 1995 in Yasawa, involving a mako shark and a 69-year-old man.
Fishermen in coastal villages and outlying islands heavily rely on diving and fishing for their livelihoods.