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Maui police continue to investigate shark case
By KELLY WILKINSON
The search for the body of Nahid Davoodabadi, the Sunnyvale woman attacked by a shark in Maui, was called off last Thursday, although the police are continuing an investigation in the unusual case, according to Maui police. Davoodabadi's husband, Mark Monazzami, claimed his wife bled to death in his arms after a shark bit her arm off while she was trying to climb back into their capsized kayak.
The two had been enjoying a day of kayaking March 19 when high winds pulled their craft farther and farther from shore and into treacherous waters. The boat repeatedly capsized, exposing Davoodabadi to the attack. After Davoodabadi died, the craft flipped over another time, and Monazzami lost hold of his wife.
Monazzami was released from Maui Memorial Medical Center Thursday, where he was treated for dehydration, according to center officials. Rescue teams picked him up March 21 on Kahoolawe, a deserted island where he had washed ashore. He found a phone on the former Naval testing base and dialed 911 after wandering the island for two days.
Detective Joe Higgins of Maui police said that the police located what might be Davoodabadi's life vest. Without any further evidence it is difficult to either prove or disprove Monazzami's story, police said.
"There is still an active investigation to look into any potential inconsistencies," Higgins said.
Higgins said that a few years ago there was "a tiger shark attack a couple miles down the shore from where [Monazzami and Davoodabadi] launched their kayaks," and only the torso of the woman killed in that attack was recovered.
"[Monazzami] said that her arm was bitten off, which means that there would have been a lot of blood and probably a feeding frenzy," Higgins said.
Monazzami is back in Sunnyvale and plans on holding a memorial service for Davoodabadi sometime this week.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
