The group had gone to Solana Beach, about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego, for their 6:30 a.m. swim. The attack occurred about 7 a.m. near Fletcher Cove.
Lifeguards performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Martin for nearly 30 minutes. A helicopter was called to take him to a hospital, but he was declared dead on the beach at 7:49 a.m. Three volunteers arrived to provide grief counseling to other swimmers.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, April 27, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 64 words Type of Material: Correction
Shark attack: Some editions of Saturday's Section A carried an incomplete version of the article about a deadly shark attack in San Diego County. The missing information included the full name of a professor of marine biology quoted in the story. He is Richard Rosenblatt. The top of the story is reprinted in today's California section, and the full story is available at www.latimes.com/sharkattack
The shark had bitten Martin on both legs but his legs were still intact, said Solana Beach Deputy Fire Chief Dismas Abelman. Martin had apparently separated from the rest of his group when he was attacked about 150 yards from shore, he said.
Great white sharks are ambush predators that typically strike from below and behind, according to researchers who study them in the waters around the Farallon Islands near San Francisco. They bite and spit out their prey, returning to feed on the carcass after their victim has weakened or died. It's considered a self-protective strategy to avoid the sharp teeth and claws of thrashing seals and sea lions, researchers said.
Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian pleaded with residents to stay out of the water Friday. "While we don't want people to panic, we do want them to listen to the officials," he said.
Sheriff's Department and Coast Guard helicopters patrolled the water in search of the shark without success. The Sheriff's Department helicopter broadcast a message to swimmers and surfers to "leave the water immediately."
If the shark is located, any decision on trapping or killing it would be left to the National Marine Fisheries Services, a U.S. Fish and Game official said. The great white, whose numbers have dwindled, is a threatened species protected by federal law.
Harbor seals were reportedly seen in the water before the attack, officials said. The presence of seals lounging on the beach at the Children's Pool area of La Jolla has been one of San Diego's more enduring and volatile political issues. Sharks feed on seals and sea lions. Animal rights advocates say the seals should be left alone. Other activists say the seals foul the beach, make it unusable for families and may attract sharks to the shallow water.
"I love the seals, but it was clearly a mistake to open a 'McShark' in the center of the open-water swimming community of San Diego," said La Jolla triathlete Mitch Thrower.
