Man in serious condition from shark bite while swimming Kaiwi Channel

A 58-year-old man is in serious, but stable condition this morning following a shark attack while swimming in the Kaiwi Channel, also known as Molokai Channel.

The man was reportedly swimming between the west coast of Molokai and east coast of Oahu for about nine hours when a shark bit him in the abdomen, according to a Honolulu Emergency Medical Services report.

He was brought to the boat ramp at Maunalua Bay, where paramedics performed advanced pre-hospital trauma life support on him. He was then transported to a hospital in serious, but stable condition.

The Honolulu Fire Department received an initial call at 3:42 a.m. today about “animal bites” and an “attack.” Firefighters arrived at Maunalua Bay shortly after and left the scene around 4:2o a.m., according to Capt. Scot Seguirant.

A Coast Guard spokesman told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser they received a similar call Friday night in Hawaii Kai, but did not provide further details about the incident.

It was unclear whether the incident occurred Friday or early this morning, and who discovered the man before bringing him to the Hawaii Kai boat ramp.

To date, at least five relay teams and 67 solo swimmers have successfully crossed the Kaiwi Channel between Molokai and Oahu, according to the Kaiwi Channel Association. The association sponsors the Kaiwi Channel Swim Race.

Swimming legend Keo Nakama was the first verified person to swim the 27-mile Kaiwi Channel in 1961.