On July 4, a shark attacked three people off the coast of southern Texas in what the city’s fire chief called an extraordinary incident. That same day, another person was bitten by a shark in Florida, according to officials.
Three persons were attacked by a shark in South Padre Island, Texas, a barrier island close to Brownsville. The shark was eventually found and “pushed out to deeper water,” according to Fire Chief Jim Pigg.
“It’s unprecedented here on South Padre Island,” stated the governor. He stated there were two incidences of shark bites on Thursday, both occurring at different times and places.
According to municipal spokesman Nikki Soto, at 11 a.m., police responded to a 911 call reporting “a severe shark bite to the leg,” and the victim was transferred to a nearby hospital.
According to Pigg, there were two people on the first call: one with a bite injury and the other with minor wounds who did not require immediate medical attention.
Firefighters discovered two victims of a shark bite following a second 911 call regarding an assault, according to Pigg. They were brought to a hospital as well.
A woman who looked to have had a bite to her leg was hauled out of the water, according to 46-year-old Kyle Jud.
“Beach patrol lifted her up — her calf was just gone, shredded. Horrific,” Jud stated.
A person was sent via air from a hospital located in Brownsville for additional medical care, as stated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“Shark encounters of this nature are not a common occurrence in Texas,” the department stated. “When bites from sharks do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food.”
Pigg stated that an inquiry was under progress and that the kind of shark involved was unknown.
According to Pigg, lifeguards were advising residents of South Padre Island, a 2,000-person beach hamlet on the same-named barrier island, to avoid swimming or to only go knee-deep in the ocean.
There had been no more sightings of the shark since it was discovered and driven into deeper waters, but Pigg assured that authorities would continue to be on the lookout.
Related:
- Fishing Trip Turns Deadly as Shark Attacks Man in Florida
- Surfing Icon Tamayo Perry Fatally Attacked by Shark in Hawaii
- Shark Attacks Strike Three Swimmers Off Florida Panhandle
“Our hearts and prayers are with the injured and their families and we hope for a speedy recovery,” Mayor Patrick McNulty of South Padre Island stated.
A shark attacked a 21-year-old male on New Smyrna Beach, Florida, at around 4 p.m. when he was playing football in knee-deep water, according to Tamra Malphurs, the temporary director of Volusia County Beach Safety.
The man, who was traveling from Ohio to the city on the Atlantic coast, was brought to a hospital, and Malphurs stated that his wounds are not thought to be life-threatening.
The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File stated in its most recent annual report that there were 36 unprovoked shark attacks against humans in the United States last year, and two of those victims lost their lives.
According to the initiative, which tracks shark attacks globally, swimmers can further reduce their risk by sticking to the coast and swimming in groups, even if the chance of being attacked by a shark is still very low.
