National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesman Craig Lambinon told The Telegraph of London that the man was swimming about 50 meters from shore when the shark attacked. It was understood that shark warning flags were flying on the beach. Witnesses said three large great whites had been seen in the area 90 minutes before the attack and on previous days. Shark spotters employed by the local council said Mr Cohen often swam at the beach and had been warned in the past about the presence of sharks. “He was very interested in sharks and respected them, but never took any notice of our warnings.
– A reminder to those who like to buck authority: You should at least heed warnings related to great white sharks. A 42-year-old British expat had parts of both his legs bitten off in an attack in Cape Town today, after going for a swim though shark warning flags were flying, reports the Telegraph. Michael Cohen was about 150 feet from shore at Fish Hoek beach when the great white struck; he was apparently dragged out of the water by friends and airlifted to a hospital. "It repeatedly bit at both of his legs and caused serious wounds on both the right and left side," said a National Sea Rescue Institute rep. "When medical teams arrived, they found the swimmer with his right leg bit off above the knee and the left leg bit off below the knee." Witnesses say three great whites had been been spotted nearby just 90 minutes before Cohen was attacked, and the beach was then closed. MSNBC reports that Cohen was the only swimmer in the water; a shark spotter reportedly tried to get him out, but didn't get to him in time. A video of a shark was taken in the area just after the attack.