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American Morning
In Virginia Beach, First Fatal Shark Attack in Country This Year
Aired September 03, 2001 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin with some concerns on this Labor Day along the coastlines of the U.S. after the first fatal shark attack in this country this year. Beaches in Virginia Beach where a 10-year-old boy was attacked over the weekend are open on the last holiday of the summer.
CNN's Patty Davis in Virginia Beach has the latest.
Patty, good morning.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.
The police did a flyover looking for sharks. The EMS also patrolling these waters here off the shore in Virginia Beach, looking for any more sharks, but there have been no sightings, no 911 calls, anyone reporting shark activity after Saturday's attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS (voice-over): At the end of a summer notorious for shark attacks, 10-year-old David Peltier becomes the first fatality. The boy was surfing in four feet of water off Virginia's Sand Bridge Beach, when what's believed to have been an eight- to nine-foot sandbar shark, like this one, attacked him. Witnesses say his father fought the shark off, punching it in the head.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You could actually see him fighting off the shark and sort of pushing the -- pushing the shark away and pulling the kid.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there was a darker water than normally. Then we realized it was blood in the water.
DAVIS: David's father then carried his badly bleeding son to the shore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there were shark bites all along his leg.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It also looked like maybe part of the shark actually got him right inside the thigh. He lost a lot of blood.
DAVIS: Emergency workers arrived minutes later. The shark bite had severed an artery in David's leg. The 10-year-old died early Sunday at a nearby children's hospital in Norfolk. Virginia Beach's mayor called the attack "a quirk of nature."
MEYERA E. OBERNDORF, VIRGINIA BEACH MAYOR: Shark attacks are an exceptionally rare occurrence in Virginia Beach. City emergency medical service officials said they are not aware of any swimmer ever being attacked by a shark in Virginia Beach.
DAVIS: Beaches remained open after helicopter and boat searches didn't turn up any sharks. Beach-goers were told to be aware.
BRUCE EDWARDS, CHIEF, VIRGINIA BEACH EMS: What we are asking people to do is to swim in only lifeguarded areas, because the lifeguards are on constant vigil for any type of danger that may be in -- in the water in terms of rough surf or anything else.
DAVIS: Although Sand Bridge Beach where the attack occurred doesn't have a lifeguard, beach-goers were back anyway, but were cautious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just as soon keep my kids out of the water, 77and not take my chances. I don't want to test fate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Normally, we would go out and do some body surfing. Today, we just went in wading.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DAVIS: We're joined by Virginia Beach Meyera Oberndorf.
You have met with the father, mayor, and I understand he has some cuts on his hand. How is he doing?
OBENDORF: I actually talked to him over the phone. He does not talk about his own injuries. He is grieving heavily over the loss of his son. I told him we all thought of him as a hero for what he did to turn his son loose, but he said, it didn't work.
DAVIS: He told what you he saw in the water. What happened? How did he describe that?
OBENDORF: He said that the water was so clear, that he happened to glance down and notice the shark. He saw the fin, he saw the blue back of the shark, and he also was aware of what a shark looked like. He immediately called his boys to get back on their surfboard. He leaned over to pick David up, the 10-year-old, and before he could pull him all the way on the board, the shark had him.
DAVIS: And you started a memorial fund for the family.
OBENDORF: Yes.
DAVIS: Do they need the help?
OBENDORF: This is a young family of modest means. I'm sure they never thought they would be facing the type of medical bills as well as funeral costs for a young child. In addition, I thought if some of the funds could be used to establish a scholarship in memory of David Pellatier just to make his memory live on and offer some hope to other children, it would be well worth it.
DAVIS: Thanks, Mayor Obendorf.
OBENDORF: Thank you.
DAVIS: In the history of the state of Virginia, there have only been five shark attacks, this one the only fatal one ever.
Back to you Leon.
HARRIS: Well, let me ask you, Patty, before we let you go if the mayor has told you about stepped-up patrols or equipment, even if they do have the beach open?
DAVIS: Yes, absolutely stepped-up patrol, police helicopter flying over, did a couple times yesterday, has already once today, probably will again today, 20-30 EMS divers, as well as all-terrain vehicles on the stand. Lifeguards out, looking for disturbance in the water, any fins. The city officials say if they see anything, they will close a certain stretch of the beach where they see the problem. But for now, they've seen nothing since Saturday -- Leon.
HARRIS: Hoping it stays that way. Patty, thank you very much.
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