A shark attack over the weekend has left a Mangrove Cay young man without an arm, according to officials.
It is reported that around 1 p.m. last Saturday a shark attacked Whitefield Rolle, 25, while he was spear fishing.
“He had speared a snapper and went to retrieve it. And while doing that a shark passed at the same time and caught him in the right arm,” said Sergeant David Thompson of the Police Station.
The young man was reportedly airlifted into New Providence around 4 p.m. that afternoon. Sergeant Thompson stated that the attack on Saturday was the first of its kind to occur in the Mangrove Cay community to his knowledge.
However, he added that the occurrence is not an unusual one as sharks usually are “cooting” or mating this time of year.
“From talking to fisherman this is the time of year that sharks are cooting, and during high tides you would find them coming in and going in a lot.”
Rolle, who was said to have been a fisherman from a very young age, did not see the shark and was interested only in getting his catch out of the water when he was viciously attacked.
“His only interest was to retrieve that fish. And because of the blood from the fish, the shark attacked,” said Sergeant Thompson, adding that there was nothing the young man could have done to prevent the occurrence.
He went on to say that the Mangrove Cay area in Andros is like a fishing village with many of the young men getting their feet wet in the industry from the age of 12.
However, he did indicate that authorities on the island have cautioned fishermen and residents who fish and swim in the waters off the island.
By: VIRAJ PERPALL, The Nassau Guardian
