Marine biologist Mauricio Hoyos experienced a shark bite during a research expedition in September off Cocos Island, Costa Rica. Hoyos, who possesses 30 years of experience studying shark behavior, was at a depth of 40 meters to tag a Galapagos shark.
During the tagging procedure, a female Galapagos shark, estimated to be between 3 and 3.5 meters (10-11.5 feet) in length, turned and made contact with Hoyos. The shark's jaws bit his skull and cheek. This incident resulted in deep wounds to his face and head, severed the oxygen line of his diving apparatus, and damaged his goggles.
Following the bite, Hoyos initiated an emergency ascent to the surface. He utilized a secondary air source, regulating it manually due to a regulator malfunction, and navigated upward by identifying the light from the surface. Upon reaching the surface, he was brought aboard the research vessel by a crew member.
The captain contacted park rangers, and paramedics were awaiting Hoyos upon docking. Medical examination confirmed severe bruising but no broken bones. Hoyos underwent surgical debridement of his wounds. His recovery was described as rapid by medical personnel, with no infections developing. The healing process allowed for evaluation for reconstructive surgery within days of the incident, which was noted as faster than a previous Galapagos shark attack case in the same area in 2017.