File image of Mahaiula Beach section of Kekaha Kai State Park,

KONA, Hawaii – The Department of Land and Natural Resources will reopen Kekaha Kai State Park by 11 a.m. today (Thursday, June 20), after a Hawaii Fire Department helicopter flyover this morning did not sight any sharks in waters off the park.

Both the Kua Bay and Mahaiula sections will be open, after being closed in the wake of a shark attack that sent a 28 year old Kona man to the hospital on Tuesday. A helicopter overflight spotted what appeared to be a large tiger shark in the water near the area where the man was bitten.

Vicitm James Kerrigan was reported to be in good spirits when he spoke with West Hawaii Today in his Kona Community Hospital room yesterday.

On Wednesday, the park remained closed when a morning flyover saw a number of reef sharks in offshore waters.

The park is located 2.6 miles north of Keahole airport in Kailua-Kona, and is also known as Kona Coast State Park.