A shark attacked a surfer at Hanalei Beach in Kauai, Hawaii, this afternoon, the report said. CNNThe man was injured in the leg and was taken to hospital.

Following the incident, authorities closed Hanalei Bay, one of the best-known and most protected waves on the so-called Green Island.

The surfer was at a remote spot on the beach known as "The Bowl" when he was bitten by what was believed to be a tiger shark, the Kauai Fire Department said.

A witness, Kea Dwight, was there and said that he and his friends noticed something strange had happened: "Once we got closer there were a lot of people around him, pointing at the man. We got closer and he said, 'I just got bitten by a shark.'"

Another witness Chas Weimar told Hawaii News Now that he remained eerily calm about everything that was happening. We were more scared than he was. 

Apparently the calm was due to the fact that the surfer is a firefighter, used to dealing with extreme situations. He had himself placed a tourniquet on the leg where he had the most serious injuries. 

The victim is reportedly out of danger.