A surfing competition in New Zealand was thrown into chaos after a photographer was bitten in the water, triggering fears of a shark attack. The culprit later turned out to be a sea lion.

The incident occurred during the men's semi-final at the World Surf League's New Zealand Pro event in Raglan. Officials activated a rare "code red" safety protocol and pulled surfers from the water.

The protocol was introduced after Australian surfer Mick Fanning was attacked by a shark in 2015, and this marked its first use. Organizers initially said they were unsure if it was a shark or a sea lion, but later clarified that a sea lion was the likely suspect.

Photographer Ed Sloane suffered puncture wounds to his left foot and was taken to hospital in stable condition. He thanked the water patrol and medical team for their quick response.

After the scare, the competition resumed with Brazil's Italo Ferreira winning the men's title and Hawaii's Carissa Moore claiming the women's crown.

Source: www.dw.com