Editor’s note: WCTV previously reported that the girl lost her leg, according to the sheriff’s office. This is not so; she underwent surgery and is expected to survive. This story has been updated.
A girl suffered serious injuries Thursday when she was attacked by a shark on a Florida beach, authorities said, continuing a frightening trend in the state that accounts for nearly 40 percent of unprovoked shark bites worldwide. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett told CBS affiliate WCTV that the girl underwent surgery Thursday and is expected to survive.
The attack took place in Keaton Beach in northwest Florida. The girl was paddling in water about 5 feet deep near Grassy Island, just off Keaton Beach, when she was bitten by a shark, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
One of the girl’s family members reportedly jumped into the water and kicked the shark off of it until it broke free, officials said.
The girl was flown to Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare to receive treatment for those injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
“What happened is a tragedy,” Sheriff Padgett told WCTV.
Authorities said it has not been determined what kind of shark attacked the girl, but witnesses described it as approximately nine feet long.
“Boaters and swimmers are cautioned to be alert, vigilant and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office said. “Some rules to follow are: never swim alone, do not enter the water near fishermen, avoid areas such as sandbars (where sharks like to congregate), do not swim near large schools of fish and avoid chaotic movements, while you’re in the water.’
Shark attacks increased worldwide in 2021 after three consecutive years of decline, according to a report published in January. The US again reports the most attacks, with Florida accounting for nearly 40% of unprovoked bites worldwide.
Florida has led the U.S. and the rest of the world in unprovoked shark bites for decades, and the trend continued in 2021, researchers said. There were 28 unprovoked bites in Florida last year, compared to 19 in the rest of the U.S. and a total of 26 outside the U.S. The 28 cases in Florida represent 60% of the US total and 38% of unprovoked bites worldwide.
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Stephen Smith
Stephen Smith is a senior editor at CBSNews.com
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