Man in shark attack at aquarium

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-19 08:09

A man has been attacked by a shark at a Scottish aquarium.

The 23-year-old victim was an employee at Deep Sea World in Edinburgh, where the incident took place on Saturday.

He was bitten by an angel shark while diving in its tank and suffered more than 15 lacerations on his arm.

The man was treated by paramedics following the attack.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "We got called at 2.45pm advising us that a 23-year-old male had been bitten on the arm by an angel shark. The sharks are around one-and-a-half metres long.

"He had 15 to 20 puncture wounds on his arm. A crew attended and treated his arm. The patient did not travel to a hospital."

A statement released by Deep Sea World said: "A member of staff had received an injury while diving in the aquarium's main ocean display.

"Initial reports would indicate the male member of staff received cuts to his hand after apparently being bitten by an angel shark - a native shark species which is also known as a monkfish.

"The member of staff was treated at the aquarium but did not require hospitalisation. A full investigation is currently being carried out into the incident."