Fisherman Catches Shark Off Florida, Gets Seriously Bitten

First published: 2:01 p.m. PDT, July 1, 2024

A fisherman who caught a shark off the coast Florida was seriously bitten by the predator and is hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.

The unidentified man was in a boat with friends when a distress call was made Friday morning, according to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office.

The emergency call was answered by the department’s marine unit, which was patrolling the waters north of Jacksonville, near the Georgia border.

Deputies responding to the vessel were met by a seriously injured man whose arm was “bleeding profusely,” Sheriff Bill Leeper said Friday.

A tourniquet was applied to the man’s forearm and he was escorted to a boat launch where Fernandina Beach Fire Rescue first responders were waiting.

The victim was airlifted to a nearby location. hospital, where he is expected to recover, the sheriff said.

The attack came just weeks after three successive attacks earlier this month on Florida’s Gulf Coast, authorities said.

A woman and two teenage boys were injured in the attacks, according to Walton County officials.

The young woman lost part of a leg and suffered other serious injuries. One of the teenagers suffered serious injuries to her upper leg and bites to her hands. The other suffered minor injuries to her feet.

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