Diver wounded in new shark attack

A second swimmer in as many days was attacked by a shark  Thursday near the Far East port of Vladivostok in an area previously unknown for shark attacks.

The 16-year-old diver sustained severe bites to his legs in the Sea of Japan attack just off Zheltukhin Island, RIA-Novosti reported. He was saved by friends, and his diving suit prevented the shark from biting his legs off, the report said. Paramedics called it a narrow escape.

A 25-year-old computer programmer was less lucky Wednesday, losing both arms in a shark attack in the same area. His wife said Thursday that the shark attacked him after he distracted it from her.

The World Wildlife Fund said global warming might account for a change in sharks’ hunting patterns. The sea off Vladivostok is unusually warm this summer.

Emergency officials advised Thursday that the best way to combat an attack is not to try to out-swim the shark but instead slowly back away and beat it on its sensitive nose and gills.

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