A mile off California coast, suspected shark knocks fisherman from kayak, forcing swim to shore
Kayak Capsizes Offshore
The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. Monday near Leffingwell Landing in Cambria. The Cambria Fire Department said something hit the bottom of the fisherman’s kayak and knocked him into the water.
The fisherman swam to land and was not injured, the department reported. The kayak was too damaged to remain afloat.
Rescue Crews Recover Gear
Firefighters responded after the man reached shore. They used a rescue boat to retrieve the damaged kayak, fishing equipment and personal belongings. Officials have not confirmed that a shark was responsible for the impact. The encounter remains a suspected shark incident.
Earlier Encounter Nearby
A similar event was reported near Leffingwell Landing in May 2012. Shark activity was blamed after fisherman Joey Nocchi was thrown from his kayak and the vessel was damaged.
Key points
- A fisherman was thrown into the water near Cambria after something struck his kayak.
- He swam to shore without injury, but the kayak was too damaged to float.
- Firefighters recovered the kayak, fishing gear and personal belongings.
- Officials have not definitively confirmed shark involvement.