Experts say the shark that took the life of surfer Ben Kelly off Sand Dollar Beach in Aptos on Saturday was a young adult great white, likely in the 10- to 12-foot range. The bite to Kelly’s right leg then caused him to bleed to death.
The Santa Cruz County Coroner’s Office released a very short statement Wednesday morning. It reads:
Cause: SHARK BITE TO RIGHT KNEE WITH DISRUPTION OF POPLITEAL ARTERY AND VEIN
Manner: ACCIDENT
Witnesses told investigators that Kelly was surfing with a friend and about seven others when he was bitten on the leg and knocked off his board. He quickly got back on and began paddling to shore — as did his friend who was surfing further outside.
They used a surf leash from one of their boards as a tourniquet but couldn’t stop the bleeding in time.
“They did everything right,” said local shark expert Sean Van Sommeran, who has been tracking the great white population in Monterey Bay since 1990.
There is an excellent story with many more details posted by the Santa Cruz Sentinel. That link is on KSCO.com/News.
