French honeymooner killed by a shark while surfing in front of his wife at beach resort in Indian Ocean

It is the third fatal shark attack on Reunion this year
Nearby swimmer raised the alert after seeing blood in the water
Lifeguards dived into the water and brought the victim back to shore

PUBLISHED: 10:30 EST, 8 May 2013 | UPDATED: 17:00 EST, 8 May 2013

A Frenchman on his honeymoon was killed in a shark attack in front of his new wife as he surfed off the shores of an Indian Ocean paradise island.

The 36-year-old was near the popular beach of Brisants de Saint-Gilles on the French-controlled island of Reunion when the shark charged him twice.

A nearby swimmer raise the alert after seeing blood spreading through the water, authorities said.

A French honeymooner died in front of his wife after being bitten on his arm and his thigh in a shark attack off the French-controlled Indian Ocean island Reunion

The surfer was near the popular beach of Brisants de Saint-Gilles on the French-controlled island of Reunion when the shark attacked

French gendarmes stand by the sea after a 36 year-old French surfer was attacked and killed by a shark today

Lifeguards bravely leapt into the water to fetch the profusely bleeding victim and drag him back to shore. However they were unable to revive him.

He had been bitten deeply through his arm and thigh and suffered massive blood loss and respiratory failure, AFP reported.

The victim's wife was on the beach when the attack happened and she is now being treated for shock.

Shark's have killed three people on Reunion in the past two years, but today's deadly attack was the first on the island this year.

French gendarmes and tourists stand on the beach following the attack

Shark flags on a Reunion island beach near where the attack happened

Paradise island: Reunion is a volcanic island east of Madagascar and about 120 miles south-west of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean

The island is one of the overseas departments of France, sending seven deputies to the French National Assembly and three senators to the Senate, and a popular destination for French tourists

Although sharks are not natural man-eaters, they sometimes mistake humans for their usual prey.

Experts say that sometimes the aquatic predators hurt surfers as they 'mouth' them out of curiosity.

Reunion is a volcanic island east of Madagascar and about 120 miles south-west of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.

It is one of the overseas departments of France, sending seven deputies to the French National Assembly and three senators to the Senate, and a popular destination for French tourists.

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@ Miss Happy, London, that was a hoax, the dog thing never happened

- sggw1990 , Derry, 09/5/2013 23:10

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This is sad. .... That poor woman. .... .....too soon jokes about French food. .... Damn.

- Randym Brandon , Sugarland, United States, 09/5/2013 22:25

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Reunion Island is the European Union's equivalent of Hawaii... only it's still mostly unspoilt and un-westernised.

- Dave Ninetynine , Darlington - UK, 09/5/2013 21:29

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"Shark's" what? Apostrophes denote possession and contraction--never plurals! For shame!

- Grammarplease , San Diego, United States, 09/5/2013 20:36

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"Shark's" what? Apostrophes denote possession and contraction--never plurals! For shame!

- Grammarplease , San Diego, United States, 09/5/2013 20:36

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When you enter the sea, any sea, you are in the shark's domain! Some people are unlucky enough to be attacked, but this is mainly out of curiosity than predation.

- Englandshark , London, 09/5/2013 20:31

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You would think that playing in the surf in waist high water would be enough security to avoid sharks. Sadly, that is not the case. I just saw a shark on a near-by beach swimming in two to three feet of water right along the shore because that's where the fish were. As with anything in life there are no guarantees of complete safety. Even sitting on the beach on a windy day, as one family found out, could get you impailed by a loose beach umberella or you could be run over by rescue vehicles as you relax in the sun. So we each get up and go each day, thankful for the good things weve experienced so far and hope for the best...but we live.

- rador , gulf coast, 09/5/2013 20:19

Click to rate Rating 13

When you enter the ocean you become part of the food chain.

- cignetti1 , canton, United States, 09/5/2013 20:19

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The cycle of life and death goes on. We have to realize that none of us know the time of death for each of us. That is why this man went surfing....he thought it was safe and was out to have a good time. But it is certainly not good news for the tourist business on that island!

- Richiev5 , Ocean Springs, 09/5/2013 19:32

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His death would of been more prolonged and painful if he would of stayed with the land shark on the beach

- averageJoe4ever , Acampo, United States, 09/5/2013 18:45

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