Latest news with #sharkbite
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
From Hawaii to Florida, a look at US shark attacks so far in 2025
Sharks attacked at least a dozen people in the United States so far this year, data collected by USA TODAY shows. The most recent reported incident took place on July 22 in South Florida, when a Canadian tourist was seriously injured and hospitalized after a shark bit him. According to USA TODAY Network tracking as well as data from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) and 12 reported shark attacks have occurred so far this year in American waters. More than half took place in Florida, while the second highest number of incidents happened in South Carolina, data shows. So far, none resulted in death. "This year's numbers do not look particularly unusual at least thus far," Florida Program for Shark Research Director and ISAF spokesperson Gavin Naylor told USA TODAY. Here's how many shark attacks the U.S. has seen so far in 2025, including when and where they occured. Florida (7) Florida leads all 50 states with the highest number of attacks (7) reported so far this year. July 22 (3 p.m.): Hollywood A tourist was injured and hospitalized in South Florida after a shark bit him. The Canadian was in chest-deep water with a friend when a fish jumped over his head and he was immediately attacked by a shark, Hollywood Fire Rescue and Beach Safety said. July 19 (time unknown): West Palm Beach A 69-year-old photographer survived a shark bite after he approached a 5-foot shark, while diving with friends in the Jupiter Inlet, The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. The shark was caught in a fish stringer about 20 feet deep in the ocean. As he tried releasing the shark, another diver bumped into it, and the shark bit the man's right forearm. July 18 (12 p.m.): New Smyrna Beach An 18-year-old surf instructor suffered injuries to his foot while surfing, Volusia County Beach Safety reported. The man was paddling to a sandbar when he attempted to jump and push his board over a wave when he was bitten. July 6 (3 p.m.): New Smyrna Beach A 40-year-old man was bitten by a shark on his right forearm as he swam in the ocean, Voulsia County Beach Safety said. The man was transported for medical treatment with non-life-threatening injuries, the Daytona News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. June 11 (12:11 p.m.): Boca Grande A 9-year-old girl snorkeling with her siblings and her dad was attacked by a shark and suffered a hand injury. She was taken by medical helicopter to Tampa General Hospital to receive emergency care. May 27 (time unknown): South of Pompano Beach A 32-year-old woman snorkeling near the pier off Lauderdale-by-the-Sea was bitten by a shark, according to NBC Miami. The outlet reported she was in waist-deep water when she spotted bait fish swimming nearby and a shark grabbed her left arm. She was treated at a hospital. April 13 (12:34 p.m.): Cocoa Beach A 12-year-old boy suffered a knee injury in a suspected shark attack near the Cocoa Beach Causeway, the Daytona Beach Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. The boy was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando. Officials later said the cut could have been caused by his surfboard. Shark attack: American bit by shark boating in The Bahamas South Carolina (2) June 22 (12:10 p.m.): Sea Pines Beach Less than one week later, a teenager was bitten in the same area and also suffered a leg injury, the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported. According to ABC News and Fox News, the attack took place at Coligny Beach Park. June 17 (12:07 p.m.): Sea Pines Beach A 12-year-old girl was bitten on the leg in waters off the south end of Hilton Head Island, local officials said. The girl was transported to Hilton Head Island Airport, where a medical helicopter flew her to a Savannah facility for further treatment. New York (1) June 26 (4:15 p.m.): Long Island A 20-year-old female in shallow water off Jones Beach State Park was injured, data shows. The woman suffered minor cuts to her left foot and leg when she was likely bitten by a shark, The New York Times reported. She was taken to a hospital to be treated. Bahamas shark attack: 2 American women attacked Bimini district North Carolina (1) May 28 (11 a.m.): Sunset Beach in Brunswick County The Sunset Beach Fire Department reported crews responded to the beach just south of Ocean Isle Beach for a report of a person who suffered a leg injury swimming near 31st Street in a suspected shark attack. The swimmer, a 26-year-old man, was taken to a medical facility to be treated for his injuries. Hawaii (1) Jan. 11 (1:40 p.m.): Town of Haleiwa on Oahu A tour boat employee in Hawaii suffered a shark attack on the island's North Shore. Hawaii News Now reported the 23-year-old man was hospitalized to be treated for serious injuries. Puerto Rico shark attack: Former NBA player's pregnant wife bitten How many shark attacks took place in the US last year? According to International Shark Attack File(ISAF), 28 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks last year in U.S. waters. Of those who encountered sharks, one person died. According to the odds of being killed by a shark in the U.S. are more than 4 million to 1. How many people die from shark attacks every year? Each year, according to ISAF, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, the world averages 65 documented shark attacks annually. On average, six fatal attacks are reported each year, according to ISAF. Last year, 47 people were bitten in unprovoked attacks. Bahamas shark attack: American bitten by shark while boating How to reduce risk of a shark attack Never swim alone. Don't swim at dawn or at dusk. Don't enter waters where people are fishing. Skip wearing shiny jewelry. It can catch the sunlight and glint, much like fish that sharks prey upon. Avoid splashing. It generates sounds similar to struggling fish, which can attract sharks. 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: How many shark attacks in the US in 2025 so far? See list
Daily Mail
28-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Boy, seven, has part of leg ripped off after being attacked by a shark while swimming with friends in French Polynesia
A seven-year-old boy had part of his leg ripped off by a shark while swimming off the coast of French Polynesia. The child was one of around 10 friends playing in the picturesque waters of Taiohae Bay on Nuka Hiva, the main island in the Marquesas archipelago, on Friday when the ocean predator struck. The shark inflicted multiple bite wounds, ripping off one of his calves and leaving the boy with additional injuries to his right forearm and left hand, The Sun reported. The boy was taken to the island's small hospital before being airlifted to the French Polynesia hospital center in Tahiti, around 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) from Nuku Hiva. 'I'm 35 years old and this is the first time I've seen this. These were long and deep wounds,' a firefighter who helped the child with serious bite wounds said. 'It's probably related to the fish carcasses that fishermen throw in this area. 'There are many sharks, such as blacktips, hammerheads, and lemon sharks,' the firefighter added, confirming reports by local TV channel TNTV. Shark attacks are rare in French Polynesia and most commonly target underwater fishermen or people engaging in shark feeding, a prohibited activity. French Polynesia is home to over 30 species of shark and was declared a shark sanctuary in 2006 - but has seen a series of attacks in recent times. In May last year a South African man managed to fight off an 8ft shark by stabbing it in the gills with a four inch pocket knife used for cutting diving lines. Angus Kockott, 20, from East London, South Africa, was snorkelling in shallow waters off the island of Mangareva, French Polynesia when he was attacked on May 23, 2024. Out of nowhere, a suspected grey reef shark approached him from behind a reef - and clamped its jaws on his arm. Luckily, a quick-thinking Angus was able to pull a 4in blade - from his pocket to stab the shark in the gills before swimming to safety. An emergency military aircraft was called to fly him to the nearest hospital, where he underwent life-saving six-hour surgery. Incredibly Mr Kockott said that he planned to get the teeth left embedded in his arm from the attack turned into jewellery. While sharks are often painted as mindless predators out for blood, new studies suggest that they may actually mainly bite in self-defence. Researchers led by Dr. Eric Emile Germain Clua of the Paris Science et Lettres (PSL) Research University reviewed over six decades of data on shark attacks. They found that bites classified as in self-defence all came after a human acted aggressively towards a shark, by for example trying to shoot it with a harpoon or speargun, or handling it roughly. In most instances the injuries inflicted on the human were only minor to moderate, challenging the idea that sharks were monsters out to cause maximum damage.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Shark Attacks Surfer, 18, at Florida Beach Known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World'
The surf instructor's foot injury marks the fourth shark bite at New Smyrna beach this yearNEED TO KNOW A shark bit a surf instructor on the foot in Florida's New Smyrna Beach, which also known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World," on July 18 The 18-year-old surfer suffered a "nasty" but not life-threatening injury The bite marked the fourth shark encounter in Volusia County in 2025An 18-year-old was surfing in a Florida city notorious for shark encounters when one sunk its teeth into his foot. The unidentified teen — a surf instructor, according to local NBC affiliate WESH — was at New Smyrna Beach around 12 p.m. local time on Friday, July 18, when the encounter occurred, Tamra Malphurs, director of the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, told local outlet FOX 35. (The Daytona Beach News-Journal and local ABC affiliate WFTV also reported the news.) After the shark bit his foot, the surf instructor was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Malphurs told FOX 35. The surfer's boss described the injury as 'nasty,' according to WESH. Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, July 19. According to an anonymous eyewitness, several first responders arrived on the scene of the attack, which marks the fourth shark encounter in Florida's Volusia County so far this year, according to the county website. Two emergency vehicles and a police car 'came pretty quickly' after the surfer was bitten, the bystander told WESH. 'And some of the instructors came and got the lifeguard on the stand here and down.' New Smyrna Beach, a surfing hub south of Daytona Beach, is widely known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World,' according to WESH and The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Less than two weeks before the July 18 attack, a man identified as Matthew Bender was bitten by a shark while surfing in the Florida city, per FOX 35. "I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," Bender told the outlet of the attack, which took place on July 6. 'By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity and like extreme pressure.' "And then I think it shook its head. I definitely felt that as it was letting go,' added Bender. ' It was also fast.' There have been 359 'unprovoked' shark attacks recorded in Volusia County since 1882, the most of any Florida county, according to the International Shark Attack File, the Florida Museum of Natural History's database. The next highest is Brevard County, with 159. Volusia County 'is conducive toward shark bites' due to a 'confluence of factors,' Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's Florida Program for Shark Research, previously told The Daytona Beach News-Journal. 'You need a bunch of sharks, and they need to be in the mood to bite things, and you need a bunch of people in the same area at the same time,' Naylor told the newspaper in 2024, explaining that there are also environmental factors, like the nutrients in the area. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Though the species of shark behind the recent Volusia County bites is unknown, blacktip sharks are responsible for most of the bites in the region, according to Naylor. Sharks like blacktips and spinner sharks, which are also found in the area, 'are highly piscivorous,' the evolutionary biologist told The Daytona Beach News-Journal, detailing that their diet typically consists of fish, so when they bite a person, the injured individual's reaction scares them away. 'If they were bull sharks or tiger sharks,' Naylor said, 'they might stick around a little bit more, and the injuries would be a lot worse.' Read the original article on People
Fox News
09-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Shark bites beach fisherman who dragged thrashing predator back to water after catch
A fisherman in a wealthy beach vacation hot spot became the object of nature's wrath while wrestling with a shark he caught during the July Fourth weekend. A 21-year-old man in Nantucket caught a common sandbar shark on Sunday and reeled it onto shore, according to the Nantucket Current. When he attempted to return the shark to the ocean, it bit him on the leg, causing a serious injury. The unnamed victim was driven by friends to a local hospital, and later flown by Boston Medflight helicopter to a mainland hospital to be treated further for his injuries. As the summer beach season is in full effect nationwide, instances of shark bites are increasingly being reported. On the same day as the Nantucket incident, a 40-year-old surfer named Matthew Bender of Winter Park, Florida, was attacked by a shark in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Benton suffered a 10-inch bite that severed muscles, tendons and nerves, but survived the attack. New Smyrna Beach is known as the "shark bite capital" of the United States, according to "Shark Week" host Forrest Galante, who recently spoke with Fox News Digital about summer safety tips for avoiding negative encounters with sharks. On June 11, a 9-year-old girl snorkeling off the coast of Boca Grande, Florida, on the state's Gulf Coast, sustained a gruesome shark bite that nearly severed her hand. Leah Lendel was rushed by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, where she underwent a successful surgery involving artery grafts, bone reconstruction and nerve repair to save her hand. Later in June, a beachgoer was injured in an attack on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, another popular tourist destination for summer getaways. That incident "involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," according to Hilton Head Fire Rescue. Galante warned that the ocean is a shark's domain. "Now, a lot of people fear them, and they see them as mindless killing machines, but the truth is, these are just animals that sit at the top of the food chain," he said. "And any time that we enter into the water, we're entering into their domain. So, when there is a shark attack or a shark bite, that is simply because we have gone into a habitat where we as human beings don't really belong, and we're not the apex predator."
Fox News
08-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
Florida shark attacks surfer, latched on ‘like a bear trap' in world's bite capital
A Florida surfer is vowing to return to the waves after being bitten by a shark in a county deemed "the shark bite capital of the world." Volusia County Beach Safety confirmed to Fox News Digital that Matthew Bender, 40, of Winter Park, Florida, was surfing at the popular but notoriously shark-prone waters of New Smyrna Beach on Sunday, July 6, when a shark latched onto his arm. "I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," Bender told Fox News affiliate, WOFL-TV, from his hospital bed. "By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. "It felt like electricity – pressure, extreme pressure – and then I think it shook its head as it let go. It was so fast," he said. Despite the severity of the bite, later measured at around 10 inches long, Bender was able to stay conscious and coherent. Fellow beachgoers rushed to his aid. Thinking quickly, Bender asked for a board leash, typically used to tether a surfer's ankle to their board, and they fashioned it into a makeshift tourniquet. "I was squeezing the whole mangled area myself with my left hand," he recalled to the outlet, as others pulled the tourniquet just above his elbow to stop the bleeding. Videos from the scene captured beachgoers surrounding Bender immediately following the attack. Lifeguards arrived moments later and transported Bender to the hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to reconnect severed muscles, tendons and nerves. Remarkably, he was able to move his fingers even before the surgery. "When I looked down, my arm was completely mangled," Bender said. "It's a miracle my hand was still working." The recovery ahead may be long, and the resulting scar will be permanent. "I don't know if it'll be the cool ones that chicks dig, but it might be ugly," he joked. The longtime surfer is eager to return to the waves, with doctors expecting Bender to make a full recovery within months. "I think the Lord kept it from being serious. He works in mysterious ways," Bender said. "I got to take a little break, but I'll be back out there. I'm a New Smyrna surfer at heart, and it's not going to end now just because of this." Authorities have not confirmed the type or size of the shark involved.
