A teenage girl was left seriously injured after a brutal shark attack on a Florida beach. And we mean ON THE BEACH.
According to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, emergency services responded to a report from Keaton Beach that a juvenile had been attacked by a shark. The 15-year-old girl was allegedly scalloping near Grassy Island when she sustained the injury. The area of the beach she was scalloping in had waters no deeper than 5 feet! Even in water that shallow, though, the unidentified 9 ft shark was able to attack the teen.
Terrifying…
It’s then reported that a totally badass family member jumped in the water and fought the shark, probably saving the teen’s life! The unnamed hero attacked the predator and “beat” it until it let go of the girl! WOW!
Related: Video Captures Moment Coyote Viciously Attacks Toddler
The victim had to be airlifted to Tallahassee Hospital which is about 80 miles from Keaton Beach. She sustained serious injuries but is expected to survive, according to what Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett told CBS News. Unfortunately though, she lost her leg to the beast. So sad…
We can’t believe a shark attack would happen in such shallow water! But this far too common occurrence is actually seen often by medical professionals and emergency services near beaches and bodies of water where sharks reside. According to the International Shark File, Florida’s beaches are responsible for 40% of all unprovoked shark attacks — GLOBALLY!
This doesn’t mean Florida is the only place attacks happen in the US, and it’s important to be careful no matter what body of water you’re visiting. Only 9 days ago, another shark attack took place in Monterey Bay, California. A 62-year-old man identified as Steve Brummer was attacked by a shark and had to immediately be rushed to the hospital. Luckily he, too, was able to survive.
As of Friday, a website known as Tracking Sharks reported 32 global shark bites and 4 fatal shark attacks in 2022 alone — 15 of those happening in the United States! So scary…
But don’t put away your surfboard just yet! Only a small percent of the population will experience a shark attack, and an even smaller percentage will be fatal attacks. On average, your chances of being unwarrantedly attacked by a shark are 1 in 11.5 million — and your chances of dying from it are 1 in 264 million.
After Friday’s horrifying incident, the TCSO warns swimmers and scallopers alike to “be alert” and “vigilant”. They provided a list of tips to assist beachgoers in practicing “shark safety”:
- Never swim alone
- Do not enter the water near a fisherman
- Avoid areas like sandbars, where sharks tend to congregate
- Do not swim near large schools of fish
- Avoid erratic movements in the water
They forgot to be ready to punch that f**ker until it goes away! Remember to stay safe no matter what you’re doing outdoors and take all the necessary steps to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Our hearts go out to the teenage girl and her family, we wish her healing in such a scary time.
[Image via ABC News]
The post 15-Year-Old Girl Loses Leg In Brazen Shark Attack -- Right On The Beach! appeared first on Perez Hilton.