Latest news with #ShoreBeachService
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Beachgoer airlifted after South Carolina suspected shark attack
A beachgoer in South Carolina suffered serious injuries in what local first-responders are calling a suspected shark attack. The incident, in which local officials said the victim suffered major injuries to her leg, happened in waters off the south end of Hilton Head Island, a local dispatcher confirmed to USA TODAY Thursday, June 19. The island is about 45 miles northeast of Savannah, Georgia. "The incident involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," a Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue official wrote in press release obtained by USA TODAY. Crews responded at 12:07 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17, to a medical emergency near beach mile marker 24 in Sea Pines Beach, according to the release. Lifeguards and firefighters treated the victim at the scene before she was transported to Hilton Head Island Airport, the release continues, where a medical helicopter flew her to a Savannah facility for further treatment. The victim's age, name and condition were not immediately known on Thursday, June 19, but first-responders at the scene determined the injuries to be non-life threatening. Shark siting: Massive great white shark resurfaces off North Carolina coast The incident marked the first reported likely shark bite of Hilton Head's summer season, Shore Beach Service director Mike Wagner told USA TODAY. The agency, which provides year-round beach patrol for 13.5 miles of the island's beaches according to its website, also responded to assist the victim. Local charter captain Chip Michalove, The Island Packet reported, said Hilton Head beaches see two or three shark attacks each year, "occasionally seeing spikes of up to a half-dozen." USA TODAY has reached out to Hilton Head fire officials for more Carolina suspected shark attack: Warning issued toa beach visitors If confirmed, the attack could be the state's first reported shark encounter with a human in 2025. According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), 47 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks last year. Four of them died, including one person in the United States. Each year, according to ISAF, the world averages about 65 documented shark attacks. On average, six fatal attacks are reported each year. Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shark attack reported in Hilton Head, victim suffered major leg injury
Fox News
23-06-2025
- Fox News
Serene southern vacation town reports 2nd shark attack of summer amid heavy tourist traffic
South Carolina officials on Sunday reported the second shark bite at Hilton Head, a popular southern beach town, in just one week. Hilton Head Island (HHI) Fire Rescue responded to a medical emergency at Coligny Beach Park on Sunday around noon and located the victim with lacerations to the leg consistent with a shark bite, an HHI fire rescue spokesperson said in a press release. Fire and Rescue officials provided immediate on-scene care for the victim, who was then transported to a local hospital for further treatment. It is the second shark bite incident reported in HHI since June 17, when another victim sustained lacerations to the leg consistent with a shark bite, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital last week. "Beaches and oceans are dynamic natural environments," HHI communications director Heather Woolwine said in a Monday statement to Fox News Digital. "Crowd conditions, currents, waves, wild animals, and other water and beach conditions can rapidly change. Our contractor for beach operations and lifeguard services, Shore Beach Service, will continue to monitor wildlife activity in real-time as best they can." When large schools of fish are present or if there is an identified shark in the water near people swimming, "the SBS team goes quickly into action to get people out of the water," Woolwine said. Additionally, officials raise flags on Hilton Head to advise beachgoers of certain conditions. Purple flags indicate the presence of dangerous marine life, such as sharks, stingrays and jellyfish. Red flags indicate rough conditions, such as riptides. Yellow flags indicate moderate to light conditions. The summer months in Hilton Head are the most popular for visitors. HHI was ranked No. 1 among South Carolina's best beaches on U.S. News and World Report's Best Vacation Rankings, published in 2024.
