A 61-year-old surfer’s leg was completely severed below his knee when he was attacked by a shark on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in the area of Waiehu Beach Park in Central Maui. Gary Kubota/Maui News

State officials have shut down the area of Waiehu Beach Park in Central Maui for at least a day after a 61-year-old man’s leg was severed below the knee in a shark attack Friday morning.

The man was alert and conscious, and he was able to swim back to shore with the assistance of other surfers, Maui police said.

The incident happened at an area known as “Sand Piles” and was reported to police at 7:11 a.m. Friday. Officers applied a tourniquet to the injured man’s leg before paramedics and fire personnel arrived on scene, police said.

The man was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition for further treatment.

The incident is the first reported shark attack on Maui this year.

The gate to Waiehu Beach Park has been closed, and all beachgoers are being advised to stay out of the water from Paukūkalo to Waihe’e until further notice.

Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Giesea indicated that department protocol calls for warning the public to stay out of the water for a distance of one mile in each direction of the incident. The public warning will apply until at least noon Saturday. That could be extended if further shark activity is observed in the area, the fire department said.

In 2024, there were four shark attack incidents reported statewide — all on Oahu — according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

There were two reported shark attacks on Maui each year in 2022 and 2023 with one fatality each year.

On Dec. 30, 2023, 39-year-old Jason Carter of Haiku died of injuries while surfing about 150 yards offshore at Paia Bay. Another shark attack on Oct. 2, 2023 resulted in no injury, as the shark bit the tailend of a surfboard 50 yards offshore at Welakahao Road in Kihei.

On Dec. 8, 2022, Kristine Allen of Washington state was snorkeling when a shark attacked her 50 yards offshore of Keawakapu beach in Kihei. Her body was never recovered.

On Sept. 3, 2022, a snorkeler was attacked 20 yards from shore in 10 to 15 feet of water, resulting in the loss of the individual’s left arm below the shoulder, as well as other injuries.

Maui resident Chris Casio said the Sand Piles surfing area is close to Waiehu and Iao streams and the area can attract sharks especially after it rains.

“When the water gets out there, it’s bad,” he said.

Maui resident Richard Casio said sharks are attracted to stream mouth areas at Iao and Waiehu, especially after a rain. A shark attacked a surfer Friday, Nov. 1, 2024.