Woman loses arm in shark attack off Maui

HONOLULU — Officials reopened a Maui beach Thursday, a day after a shark bit off the right arm of a German visitor about 50 yards offshore.

About 2 miles of beach in the resort community of Makena reopened at noon after lifeguards and firefighters surveying the ocean found no sign of sharks, Maui County officials said.

The woman, who is about 20 years old, was snorkeling at Palauea Beach when the attack occurred shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday. The water was choppy and visibility was limited at the time.

Bystanders on shore heard the woman scream, put her on a kayak and brought her to land, said Lee Mainaga, fire services chief at the Maui Fire Department. Her right arm was severed below the shoulder, he said. The limb wasn't recovered.

The woman was taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center in critical condition. A spokeswoman said Thursday that the hospital had no further information to release.

It wasn't clear what type of shark bit the woman.

There have been six shark attacks in Hawaii this year through the end of July, including three on Maui, according to a state database.