BOCA GRANDE, Fla. (WFLA) – He was taken to hospital Wednesday after suffering obvious shark bites underwater on a beach in southwestern Florida.
Authorities said the incident occurred near the 2200 block of Shore Lane in Boca Grande, a small cost community on Gasparilla Island.
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Boca Grande Fire Station Chief CW Blosser III told Gulf Coast News that the person’s injuries coincided with a shark bite. However, the first responder said there were no sharks in the water when they arrived around noon.
The chief did not disclose the victim’s age out of respect for his family. He also refused to explain the extent of the victim’s injuries, but emphasized that the injuries were severe enough to require the transport of helicopters to the hospital.
This is not the first time a shark attack has been reported near the island. Brosser told Gulf Coast News that there had been three attacks in the area, but “it was spreading over a considerable amount of time.”
“When you get a call like that, you always want the best and prepare for the worst, so to speak,” the chief said.
Authorities were still working to gather more information about the victims on Wednesday, and advised beach fans to stay vigilant if they plan to enter the water.
