Florida boater severely injured during shark attack
FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – A man boating along the Florida coast on Friday became the latest shark attack victim when authorities said the animal chomped on the boater’s arm, leaving serious injuries.
The incident happened along the Amelia River, just south of the Florida-Georgia border, before noon local time.
According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the man was part of a group of people fishing when the shark was reeled onto the boat and the attack occurred.
A marine patrol responded after receiving an emergency call, and a responding deputy was able to apply a tourniquet to slow the bleeding.
"When they got to the boat, it was an adult male that had a severe shark bite to his forearm. He lost a lot of blood," said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper.
Once the man made it back to a nearby boat ramp, he was airlifted to a Jacksonville-area hospital, where, at last report, he was expected to recover.
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The incident marks at least the fourth shark attack in Florida since the beginning of meteorological summer, with three incidents occurring along the Panhandle in early June.
All three victims were in shallow water northwest of Panama City Beach when the attacks occurred.
Due to the proximity of the attacks, Walton County officials sought advice from marine experts to determine if the incidents were part of a larger pattern, but no link was reported to have been found.
The Sunshine State typically sees just under two dozen unprovoked attacks annually, with many occurring along the Central Florida coastline.
Another state that has recently seen an uptick in shark attacks is Hawaii, with at least six events reported since the start of the year.
During one of the attacks, Tamayo Perry, a well-known surfer and actor, was killed by a shark while surfing near Goat Island off the island of Oahu.
Despite the news of the recent attacks, incidents involving the giant fish are still considered to be rare, with 63 attacks occurring annually, according to global data from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File.
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission always advises swimmers and surfers to avoid being in the water during twilight hours when sharks are most active.
Beachgoers are also advised not to enter the water if they have an open wound or are wearing shiny jewelry, as both can attract sharks.
Many beach lifeguards employ the use of purple flags to indicate the presence of dangerous marine life such as jellyfish, stingrays or sharks.
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