AOL.com – Multiple sharks attacked and killed a man off South Florida’s Stuart Beach on Wednesday.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said Stephen Schafer, 38, of Stuart, Fla., was kite surfing at around 4:15 p.m. when lifeguards spotted him struggling and hanging on to his board.

Officials said when rescuers swam out to Schafer, they found him encircled by sharks. The victim was rushed to shore but had already gone into cardiac arrest.

Schafer, a gifted artist and graphic designer, was drawn to the water as a child. He surfed competitively and later started sailing, windsurfing and kiteboarding. Kiteboarders surf across the water on boards strapped to their feet, using large curved sails to pull them along.

“When paramedics got there, they found a number of sharks in the water, and they found the victim had been bitten several times,” Daniel Wouters of Martin County Fire Rescue told Florida’s WBTF-TV.

He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Fatal shark attacks, like the one that killed a Zimbabwean tourist in South Africa earlier this month, are rare occurrences. According to the Florida Program for Shark Research, of the 60 shark attacks reported globally last year, seven were fatal.  Read full story here

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Shark Attack Stuart Fl, Lifeguard Attacked by Sharks 20 Years Ago

February 4th, 2010

The lifeguard who attempted to save a kiteboarder Wednesday off Stuart Beach was the victim of a shark attack himself more than 20 years ago.

So as he fought rough winds and high waves on Wednesday, Daniel Lund, 46, realized what lay ahead about 20 yards before he reached the kiteboarder, Stephen Schafer, a quarter-mile off the beach.

Still, Florida remains the unofficial shark bite capital of the world, accounting for 32 of the 60 attacks reported in 2009.    Read more here

A University of Miami shark expert said Thursday it’s too early to blame young great whites for a deadly attack on a kiteboard surfer in Martin County.

Schafer was experienced on the water and usually went out with a buddy

Several species could have bitten Stephen Howard Schafer south of Stuart beach on Wednesday afternoon, said Neil Hammerschlag, research assistant professor at UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.

Sharks spotted off Palm Beach

More than 100 sharks were seen in the ocean off Reef Road in Palm Beach on Thursday morning, prompting lifeguards to keep a lookout after officials say a shark attack in Martin County killed a man a day earlier.

Hammerheads, spinners, reef and bull sharks are very common off South Florida this time of year.

They follow schools of migrating fish along the Florida coastline.

• Scientist says knowing what shark attacked and why can prevent fear, future tragedy

• Eve Samples: Lifeguard describes rescue attempt

• Lifeguard pulled struggling kiteboarder away from sharks, report says

Basking Shark Washes Ashore On A Long Island Beach

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Posted by:  Blondie

Source:  TCPalm.com

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