Suspected shark knocks fisherman off kayak a mile off California coast, forcing swim to shore

A California fisherman was forced to swim to shore after a suspected shark struck his kayak about a mile offshore, capsizing the vessel and leaving it too damaged to stay afloat, according to fire officials.The fisherman was near Leffingwell Landing in Cambria around 9:30 a.m.Monday when something struck the underside of his kayak, throwing him into the water, the Cambria Fire Department said in a Facebook post.He managed to climb back aboard and paddle toward shore, but punctures in the hull caused the kayak to fill with water, forcing him to swim the rest of the way.SHARK BITES FISHERMAN TWICE DURING KAYAKING ENCOUNTER ALONG CALIFORNIA BEACHA great white shark swims underwater.

A California fisherman escaped injury after a suspected shark encounter off the coast of Cambria.(iStock)The fisherman reached shore without injuries, according to the department.Firefighters responded after he reached land and launched a rescue boat to recover the damaged kayak, along with his fishing gear and personal belongings.Dr.

Chris Lowe of California State University, Long Beach's Shark Lab reviewed photographs of the damage and determined it was reasonable to suspect a shark was responsible, according to the fire department.However, officials emphasized that shark involvement has not been definitively confirmed.CALIFORNIA SCIENTISTS DEVELOPING SHARK-SPOTTING ROBOT AHEAD OF 2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICSThe area has seen similar encounters before.In May 2012, a shark struck a fishing kayak near Leffingwell Landing, throwing fisherman Joey Nocchi into the water and damaging his vessel.

Nocchi escaped without injuries, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife records and reports from the time.Another fisherman, David Zamora, reported a similar encounter near Cambria in 2019, when a roughly 10-foot great white shark bit his kayak about two miles offshore from Leffingwell Landing, according to local news outlet KSBY.Zamora was thrown into the water but managed to climb ba...