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09/28/2011 Michael Cohen ( South Africa )

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alb
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Re: 09/28/2011 Michael Cohen ( South Africa )

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Briton who lost leg to South African shark told he may never walk again
Michael Cohen's femoral artery was severed by the teeth of a 15-foot great white shark
Michael Cohen's femoral artery was severed by the teeth of a 15-foot great white shark
Michael-Cohen.jpg (19.23 KiB) Viewed 21138 times
The British swimmer attacked by a great white shark off a Cape Town beach has been told he may never walk again despite surgery that saved one of his legs.

Michael Cohen's femoral artery was severed by the teeth of a 15-foot great white shark


Michael Cohen is learning to use a wheelchair after he was warned that he may never be able to use his remaining foot which was badly mauled in last month's incident.


The 42-year old, who plunged into the water in False Bay despite warnings that great whites were circling, has spoken for the first time to thank those who had saved his life.


"I am very grateful for everyone who saved my life that day," said Mr Cohen, a British passport holder who lives in South Africa, from his hospital bed.


"I would like to thank all the medical personnel at the scene as well as the doctors, surgeons and nursing staff."


In a statement issued through hospital officials he said his family and friends had been "a pillar of strength" and added: "I am now focused on regaining my health, strength and my mobility."

The part-time accountant's femoral artery was severed by the teeth of the 15-foot great white in shallow waters close to a river mouth where the predators gather to feed off fish.

The shark, and another great white, had continued to circle nearby as two passing pensioners waded into the bloody waters to pull the stricken swimmer to shore where a member of a shark spotting unit conducted life-saving first aid.

Surgeons said if it hadn't been for the skilled response of those on Fish Hoek beach, who fashioned tourniquets from a belt and wet suit, Mr Cohen would have bled to death within minutes. Hours of complex emergency surgery managed to save one of Mr Cohen's legs despite appalling injuries to the foot.

"He's out of bed and in a wheelchair," said Faye Kariem from the Constantiaberg MediClinic. "He still has the foot, but we don't know if he'll be able to use it – that will take many months to establish.

"The surgeons cannot be certain that Michael's foot or leg can be saved in the long term. He is aware that there is no guarantee and he is prepared for that."

Fish Hoek beach, where a number of swimmers have been killed or maimed by sharks in recent years, has been closed to the public since the incident.

It lies in Cape Town's beautiful False Bay which boasts one of the biggest shark populations in the world. Full time spotters are employed to monitor and issue warnings to swimmers and surfers when predators are in the area.

Mr Cohen was well known to the spotters and they had regularly clashed over his refusal to heed their warnings to stay out of the water.

The swimmer had repeatedly told Monwabisi Sikweyiya, one of the senior monitors, that it was "my life, my choice" to dive into the waves and swim towards the sharks when the beach was closed.

Ironically, it was Mr Siweyiya who had turned his own belt and clothes into emergency tourniquets which saved the accountant's life in the crucial minutes after the attack.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk
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alb
Posts: 1569
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:41 pm

Re: 09/28/2011 Michael Cohen ( South Africa )

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Shark attack: Samaritans tell of terror Bystander rescued shark attack victim Shark spotters tried to warn victim

Cape Town - Two men in their sixties who rescued a shark victim at Fish Hoek on Wednesday, told how they braved the blood-clouded water to bring him to safety.

Douglas Drysdale, 61, from Glencairn Heights, and Hugh Till, 66, from Fish Hoek were on their way home from Pollsmoor Prison, where they are voluntary spiritual guidance counsellors.

The two men, who were in one car, normally look out for whales as they round Clovelly Corner, said the NSRI's Craig Lambinon.

On Wednesday they saw a man, later identified as Michael Cohen, 43, swimming about 25m out to sea in the direction of Fish Hoek.

Then there was a dark shape, heading directly at him.

As the dark shape grew closer to the swimmer the two men realised it was a shark.

Drysdale and Till tried to warn the man, but they were too late, said Lambinon. He'd already been bitten by the shark and was struggling in the water, blood gushing from the wounds..

Human chain

Lambinon says the men kicked off their shoes and waded through the surf to reach the injured swimmer. Douglas had called the emergency services before plunging into the water.

When they reached the swimmer, Hugh grabbed him by the hand while Douglas pulled Hugh, dragging them both to shore.

Bystanders then started screaming at the men that the shark was now headed towards them.

It was about 10m away. Their luck held when a seal appeared and swam between the men and the shark.

As the men reached the beach one of the shark spotters immediately tied his belt around the stump of Cohen's severed right leg as a tourniquet.

The two men kept reassuring the victim as he waited for paramedics to arrive.

http://www.news24.com
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alb
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Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:41 pm

09/28/2011 Michael Cohen ( South Africa )

Post by alb »

Shark Attack at Fish Hoek South Africa Bystander rescued victim


A man attacked by a great white shark at Fish Hoek beach in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon was rescued by a stranger, the NSRI said.

“It appears he was rescued from the water by a bystander who left the scene before we could identify him,” National Sea Rescue Institute spokesperson Craig Lambinon said.

“On arrival, a 42-year-old man was found on the shore suffering complete amputation of his right leg, above the knee, and partial amputation of his left leg, below the knee.”

Lambinon said the victim was believed to be a 42-year-old British citizen living in the Cape Town suburb of Plumstead. The man was stabilised at the scene and airlifted to Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic in a critical condition.

“The man was conscious when paramedics attended to him on the beach, but was sedated on-scene by paramedics in their efforts to stabilise the patient,” Lambinon said.

The City of Cape Town said when the man entered the water, the beach was still closed. A shark flag, indicating the presence of a great white, was flying. A shark spotter stationed on the beach was warned by a spotter on the mountain that someone had entered the water.

The spotter then ran to Clovelly Corner to try and get the swimmer out of the water, but the attack took place before he could reach him.

The city said the attack happened around 12.15pm. Shark spotters sighted the shark at 10.45am and then closed the beach. The white shark flag was raised and the siren set off.

The victim of the shark attack was the only person in the water at the time.

Fish Hoek beach as well as Glencairn, St James and Muizenberg beaches were closed as a precaution until further notice. The shark was still in Fish Hoek bay in the afternoon and being monitored by the spotters.

Note: Please see the two related videos in our ‘Video Section’ at http://sharkyear.com/2011/shark-attack- ... frica.html 1st Video 2nd Video .
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