23 Year-old Plettenberg Bay surfer, Dylan Reddering, is in a stable condition after being bitten by a shark at approximately 5:00pm on Friday, 26 June, at Lookout Beach.
According to the NSRI report, eyewitnesses phoned in and alerted the Plettenberg station, who were quick to respond by launching a rescue craft with rescue swimmers and medics on board, and an ambulance was dispatched to the scene.
Deon Truter, NSRI Plettenberg Bay station commander, said: “On arrival on-scene it was determined that 23 year old Dylan Reddering, from Plettenberg Bay and currently a student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), had been rescued from the water by fellow surfers Lloyd Chapman, Adriaan Augustyn, Wotjeck Orzechowski and his son Tadj, after being bitten by a shark while surfing. Dylan was found to be suffering lacerations and bite marks on the right side of his body, on his ribs, on his buttocks and on his leg. The bite marks were deep and NSRI medics and Baycare paramedics initiated medical treatment although Dylan remained calm and in good spirits and he was in a fairly stable condition.”
Dylan Reddering in good spirits and on his way to hospital.
Dylan was first rushed to the Plettenberg Bay Medi-Clinic, where he was stitched and stabilised, before transferring to the Life Care Knysna Private Hospital for further medical treatment and recovery. Thankfully no major organs or arteries were damaged by the bite.
The species of shark responsible for the attack is yet to be determined, but great whites are common in the area and the bite marks left on Dylan’s surfboard suggest the attacker was in the region of 2 – 3 metres long.
Bite marks on Dylan’s board suggest a shark in the 2 – 3 metre range was responsible.
Bathers and surfers have been urged to be cautious in the area following the incident, until Municipal Authorities advise further.
