A man was bitten in the face by a shark while surfing at a Florida beach Tuesday morning, according to local reports.
The 38-year-old surfer from South Carolina was bitten shortly before 8 a.m. in the New Smyrna Beach Inlet, where most shark bites in the area occur, WESH reported.
The man was taken to Halifax Health trauma center and released Tuesday night.
Veteran surfer Ron Robinson said he arrived at the inlet shortly after the man was bitten and saw him being taken away in an ambulance.
He told WESH he learned the shark bit the man on the right side of his cheek, between his ear and eye, when he jumped off his board after riding a wave.
“Nine times out of 10 it’s because they land in shallow water and scare the shark, and it’s a bite reaction,” Robinson said.
Another surfer said he learned the shark bit the man on the right side of his cheek, between his ear and eye. Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Aerial footage of the scene later that day revealed several sharks lurking in the water near the jetty, as well as several surfers not far away.
The pier generates pristine waves for surfing and traps schools of fish that sharks devour, according to WESH.
Locals and experts alike agree that most shark bites are the result of sharks mistaking people in the water for fish.
The man, who was transported to Halifax Health trauma centre, was attacked by a shark off his board after riding a wave.WESH 2 News
Most shark bites in Volusia County are not life-threatening, and although there have been seven shark bites in the county this year, there have been no deaths recently, the station reported.
Sharks certainly don’t keep local surfers out of the water.
“That’s like saying there are bad drivers on I-4. We know they are out there. The sharks are out there. It’s your backyard. Just try not to fall on them,” George Franco said.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn