A bodyboarder was airlifted to hospital after colliding with a dolphin
while riding a wave on the New South Wales south coast in Australia.
27-year-old John Wolfson was surfing at Bawley Point, 250 kilometers
south of Sydney, when the collision occurred.“He has come over a wave
and as he did so, a dolphin has come through and hit him in the pelvic
area,’’ New South Wales Ambulance duty operations manager Wayne Dunlop
said. “The force has been enough to tear the patient’s wetsuit.’’
Paramedics treated Mr Wolfson, who had made his way out of the water, at
the scene before he was airlifted to a hospital in Sydney. Mr Dunlop
said the full extent of his injuries was unknown and he would require
further assessment. While shark attacks sometimes occur around
Australia, incidents involving other marine animals are not common.
Marine research group ORCCA’s president Ronny Ling said it was hard to
tell whether the dolphin had deliberately struck Mr Wolfson. “They
(dolphins) can always miscalculate,’’ he said.
“There is a possibility of error there on the animal’s behalf.’’ By law, swimmers are required to stay 50
meters away from dolphins and 100 meters from whales.
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