Surfing CASE: GSAF 2012.07.23 DATE: Monday July 23, 2012

ACTIVITY: Surfing
CASE: GSAF 2012.07.23
DATE: Monday July 23, 2012
LOCATION: The attack took place in the Indian Ocean at TroisBassins, on the west coast of Reunion Island.
NAME: Alexander Rassiga
DESCRIPTION: He was a 22-year-old male from Trou d’eau in TroisBassins.
BACKGROUND
WEATHER: At 16h30, St. Denis recorded partly cloudy skies and 6.2mile visibility. The air temperature was 75.2°F, dew point 60.8°F,
humidity 61%, sea level pressure 30.09 inches and wind direction was
East at 21.9 mph.
MOON PHASE: Waxing Crescent, 18% of the Moon was illuminated.
New Moon, July 19, 2012. Full Moon, August 2, 2012.
Alexander Rassiga
ENVIRONMENT: On July 25, 2012, a very large earthquake —
Magnitude 6.7 (M6.7) — occurred 250 miles northeast of Mauritius, a section of mid-ocean
ridge known as the Mauritius/Reunion plate.
DISTANCE FROM SHORE: 100 metres
TIME: 16h30
INJURY: Fatal. The surfer’s leg was severed. Three surfers brought him to the beach and
provided first aid. When firefighters and emergency Samu arrived, he was in cardiac arrest.
Emergency services unsuccessfully tried to revive him for more than hour.
SPECIES: Not identified
© Global Shark Accident File, 2012. All rights reserved. This report may not be abridged or
reproduced in any form without written permission of the Global Shark Accident File.
Attaque de requin : la préfecture déterminée à réduire les risques
Suite à l’attaque mortelle de requin survenu cet après-midi à Trois-Bassins, la préfecture réaffirme
la "détermination" de l’Etat à tout mettre en oeuvre pour réduire le risque requin à La Réunion.
La préfecture de la Réunion a réagi à l’attaque de requin survenu aux alentours de 16h30 sur le
spot de surf de Trois-Bassins. Alexandre Rassiga, un jeune surfeur de 22 ans, a été happé par
squale et n’a pas survécu à ses blessures. Dans un communiqué, le préfet, Michel Lalande,
"renouvelle ses plus sincères condoléances" à la famille de la victime et à la communauté des
surfeurs "déjà endeuillée". La préfecture rappelle que "l’attaque d’aujourd’hui, qui est sans
précédent connu à Trois-Bassins, est la première attaque mortelle enregistrée cette année à La
Réunion. Elle est intervenue à proximité d’un spot où se déroulent des activités sportives nautiques
encadrées, activités qui s’étaient d’ailleurs terminées 1h plus tôt. L’encadrement de ces activités
porte à la fois sur la pratique du surf mais aussi sur la surveillance du risque requin". Ainsi, le préfet
tient à souligner qu’à La Réunion "depuis 1 an, Etat et collectivités territoriales ont engagé un vaste
programme de réduction du risque requin grâce à plusieurs séries de mesures". Il cite notamment
l’opération CHARC qui vise à "une meilleure connaissance de ces prédateurs" et "des mesures de
prévention et de surveillance appropriées" telles que le système d’alerte du public avec les
panneaux et les drapeaux, l’installation de filets de protection et la mise en place de vigies requins
pour sécuriser les pratiques sportives.
Le préfet conclut le communiqué en ajoutant que cette "attaque mortelle renforce la détermination
de l’Etat et de l’Ensemble des pouvoirs publics à mettre en oeuvre le programme de travail qui a
été arrêté, dont l’objectif est d’améliorer la connaissance et la réduction du risque requin, auquel La
Réunion, à l’instar d’autres Etats voisins, est hélas exposée".
Shark Attack: Prefecture determined to reduce the risk
Following the fatal attack shark occurred this afternoon at Trois-Bassins, the prefecture reaffirms
the "determination" of the State to make every effort to reduce the risk sharks in Reunion.
The prefecture of the meeting responded to the shark attack occurred at around 4:30 p.m. on the
surf spot of Trois-Bassins. Rassiga Alexander, a young surfer of 22 years, was grabbed by a shark
and did not survive his injuries. In a statement, the prefect, Michel Lalande, "reiterates its deepest
condolences" to the family of the victim and the community of surfers "already grieving." The
prefecture said that "today's attack, which is never seen before on Trois-Bassins, is the first
recorded fatal attack this year in Reunion. It occurred near a spot where activities take place
supervised water sports, activities which were also completed 1 hour earlier. The supervision of
these activities focuses on both the surf but also on risk monitoring shark " Thus, the prefect must
stress that Reunion "for 1 year, state and local authorities have launched a vast program of risk
reduction shark through several series of measures". He cites the Charc operation aimed at "a
better understanding of these predators" and "prevention and monitoring measures" such as public
warning system with signs and flags, the installation of nets protection and the establishment of
sentinel shark to secure sports.
The prefect the statement said adding that this "fatal attack reinforces the commitment of state and
government together to implement the work program that was arrested, which aims to improve
knowledge and risk reduction shark, which Reunion, like other neighboring states, is unfortunately
exposed ".
SOURCE: Linfo.re, July 23, 2012, http://www.linfo.re/-Societe-/Attaque-de-requin-la-prefecturedeterminee-a-reduire-les-risques
© Global Shark Accident File, 2012. All rights reserved. This report may not be abridged or
reproduced in any form without written permission of the Global Shark Accident File.