By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

RICHARD Pinder, the 26-year-old fisherman who was attacked by a shark in waters near Andros last week, is undergoing a series of operations in Florida after sustaining serious injuries to his right leg, the right side of his abdomen and left hand.

Mr Pinder’s wife, Ashley, told The Tribune yesterday that while her husband will have to undergo several surgeries to repair the extensive damage, the entire family is just “happy he is alive.”

Mr Pinder is currently being treated at Jackson Memorial Trauma Center in Miami.

She said the “shark removed most of the skin, muscle and over three centimetres of tendon from the area between his thumb and index finger” on his left hand.

“He has already had one surgery to repair the muscle and tissue damage,” Mrs Pinder said. “He is scheduled for another surgery today (Wednesday) to replace the missing tendon in his index finger, either with a donor tendon or a tendon from somewhere else in his body.

“One of his leg wounds is currently being treated with something called a wound vac that removes the air around the wound to increase blood supply and expedite the healing process. The wound vac has probably been the most painful treatment thus far.”

Mr Pinder suffered three bites to his right thigh and a gash above the right knee during the shark attack.

“As for future treatment, Richard will definitely need at least one more surgery after today’s, possibly more, to repair all of the damage and eventually do a skin graft. He will need months of therapy to restore movement in his hand and fingers.

“Once the bone fracture and tendons have healed enough, he will begin therapy here in Florida. He is in good spirits and determined to eventually make a full recovery from this potentially deadly incident. He and his family are so thankful to God for his goodness. We know how much worse this could have been which makes us so grateful to have him here with us today.”

Mr Pinder, of Spanish Wells, Eleuthera, was reportedly diving for lobster last Friday when he was bitten by what is believed to have been a bull shark.

His father, who was aboard “Water Spout,” a 76-foot trawler nearby, called the Coast Guard in Miami for help, according to Chief Petty Officer Ryan Doss.

The attack occurred more than 70 miles southwest of Andros. Mrs Pinder said her husband told her he didn’t realise he was bitten by a shark until he saw the blood.

She said: “The shark bit him multiple times and then swam off. Richard managed to make his way to the boat where his boat partner pulled him up over the side and took him to the main vessel.

“At this time the Coast Guard was called, he was flown by air ambulance to Jackson Memorial later that night. Teeth marks were found on the boat’s engine. We believe the shark attacked the propeller first and then headed straight for Richard.”

This is the third reported shark attack in the Bahamas this year.

In January, Lacey Webb Martin was bitten while snorkelling off Tahiti Beach In Abaco.

On July 4, Katie Hester, 23, was attacked while spearfishing off Port Lucaya in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

None of the attacks was fatal.