INJURED – 19 November 2012 – Melbourne Beach, Brevard County, Florida, USA – surfer bitten

Kai Rittgers recovers in hospital following a shark bite on his left foot.

Kai Rittgers, 14, suffered minor lacerations to his left foot after being bitten by a small shark while surfing off Melbourne Beach in Brevard County, Florida, USA. The incident happened 19 November 2012.

“It was like this sharp little pain, then I kind of sat up really quick and saw it was a shark,” Kai was quoted as saying.

He managed to paddle to shore. His dad took him to a doctor who bandaged the wounds. No stitches were needed.

No other details were reported.

Source:
Florida Newsday

PIC Source:
Florida Newsday

 

INJURED — 16 September 2012 — Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA — surfer bitten

A 52-year-old surfer (not identified) was bitten by a shark on the feet while surfing off Cocoa Beach,Florida, USA.

A very brief report says the incident happened about 4 pm on Sunday 16 September 2012. It added he suffered lacerations on both feet but managed to get to shore.

No other details were reported.

Sources:

Orlando Sentinel

INJURED – 8 September 2012 – 22nd Street, South Beach, Miami, USA – swimmer bitten

Miami Beach

A swimmer (not identified) was bitten on the right knee while swimming in waters off 22^nd Street, South Beach, Miami, Florida, USA.

He was treated at Florida’s Ryder Trauma Center.

A doctor at the centre said it was a “pretty significant bite. It went most of the circumference around his calf”.

No other details were reported.

Sources:
KSDK

PIC Source:
Free Stock Photos

INJURED — 6 September 2012 – E Street, St. Augustine Beach, Florida, USA — surfer bitten

Paramedics treat Andrew Birchall foot after he was bitten by a shark while surfing at St Augustine Beach, Florida, US.

Andrew Birchall (age not reported) was bitten on the foot by a shark while surfing at E Street in St. Augustine Beach, Florida, USA. The incident happened around 11.30am on Thursday 6 September 2012.

Birchall told the press he had just “caught a good wave” and jumped in the water when the shark bit his foot. He was in shallow water and managed to rip his foot from the shark’s mouth. Surfers nearby helped him to shore.

“There was blood everywhere,” he said.

Paramedics took him to Flagler Hospital, where he underwent several hours of surgery to repair some torn tendons.

Surgeons found a shark tooth in the wound.

Birchall said he did not see the shark. It was not known what species it was.

Sources:
The St Augustine Record

PIC Source:
The St Augustine Record

INJURED – 26 June 2012 — Juno Beach Pier, Jupiter, Florida, USA – swimmer attacked

Nickolaus Bieber is taken to hospital following a shark bite at Juno Beach, Florida, US.

Nickolaus Bieber, 6, was bitten on the thigh by shark while swimming in shallow water near Juno Beach Pier, Jupiter, Florida, USA. The incident happened on 26 June 2012.

A hospital spokesman said there was quite a large chunk bitten from the boy’s thigh.

“We’re guessing a shark, it’s a pretty big gash,” a bystander told 911 in an emergency call from the beach.

His mother pulled him out of the water after the bite. She wrapped a towel around the wound and a bystander called 911. He was taken to hospital by ambulance.

The boy told his mother he saw a shark thrashing, she told the press.

Nickolaus was reported to be recovering well following emergency surgery.

Source:
Huffington Post

PIC source:
WPTV

 

INJURED – 23 May 2012 — Jacksonville Beach, Florida, US — surfer bitten

Chad Renfro in hospital with bandaged foot after his shark bite wound was stitched up

Chad Renfro, 22, was bitten on the foot by what is believed to be either a 4-5 foot Bull or Lemon shark while surfing off south Jacksonville Beach, Florida in the United States.

He said he was paddling to catch a wave when he felt something bite into his left foot.

“Immediately I knew what it was, so I just paddled back in as fast as I could — caught the next wave in.” He hobbled ashore with blood going everywhere, he told media.

“I was sitting there and people kept looking at me.”

“I was trying to get someone to help me, and then one girl had walked over and I told her to call 911, and then I saw the lifeguards drive by, and so I just hollered for them and they came over.”

Renfro had two or three cuts on one foot and his ankle. The bite severed a nerve, ripped a tendon and took part of his bone. It took 85 stitches to close the wounds.

Renfro said once he’s healed, he will not be not afraid to get back in the water, saying: “Who gets attacked by a shark twice?”

Sources:
NewsJax
Action News Jax

PIC source:
Video still from…
Action News Jax

INJURED – 9 May 2012 – Vero Beach, Florida, US – swimmer bitten

Karin Ulrike Stei is treated by paramedics on Vero Beach after being bitten by shark

Karin Ulrike Stei, 47, suffered a serious wound on her left thigh after being bitten by a shark while swimming in waist-deep water about 30 metres from shore at Vero Beach in Florida, United States. The incident happened around 11.30am on Wednesday, 9 May 2012.

According to press reports the shark bite left her with a 12-inch gaping hole in her thigh. It severed the femoral artery and exposed the bone. A pool of blood formed around her in the water.

A lifeguard helped bring Stei to shore.

Karin Ulrike Stei is treated by paramedics on Vero Beach after being bitten by shark

A witness to the shark attack, 58-year-old Dave Daniels heard Stei’s cry for help and dashed into the water to help her. He reached her as the lifeguard grabbed her and her leg came to the surface with the gaping wound.

“That is when I got scared. It was amazing the damage that was done.” He is quoted as saying.

He said he told her to keep her head in the water so she wouldn’t see the wound and possibly “begin flailing around”.

Fortunately a rescue helicopter was flying past the scene at the time and one of the flight paramedics noticed the blood in the water. She was airlifted to Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute in Fort Pierce and underwent emergency surgery.

On Friday 11 May she was reported in a stable condition in intensive care. There was some speculation whether she would be able to keep her leg.

It was not known what type of shark was responsible for the bite wound.

Sources:
International Business Times
TC Palm

 

PIC Source:
Daily Mail

 

INJURED – 19 April 2012 – Melbourne Beach, Brevard County, Florida, USA – surfer bitten

A 20-year-old surfer (name not released) suffered minor injuries when he was bitten on the hand by a 5 foot shark while surfing about 50 feet off Melbourne Beach in Brevard County, Florida, United States.

The incident happened Thursday evening 19 April 2012.

The victim told paramedics that as he paddled out he felt something grab his hand as it entered the water and, after pulling his hand free, saw what he described as an approximately 5-foot-long unidentified shark swimming away.

Paramedics said the injury was consistent with a shark bite wound.

He was treated at Holmes Regional Medical Center and was reported in a stable condition.

Sources:
Brevard Times
WTSP

INJURED – 15 March 2012 – Jensen Beach, Florida, US – surfer bitten

A surfer (not named) was bitten on the arm by a bull shark while surfing at Jensen Beach, Florida in the US. The incident happened at 3.50pm on Thursday, 15 March 2012.

Reports say he was bitten several times on the arm, but the injuries were not life threatening.

According to the report, the surfer said the shark’s round nose came out of the water. He said the shark was 5 to 6 feet long.

The man refused medical transport and was taken to a local hospital by his wife.

No other details were reported.

Sources:

Sun Sentinel

Palm Beach Post

Miami Herald

 

2 INJURED – 14 March 2012 — New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, US – 2 surfers bitten

Shark bite victim Sydney Levy with a bandaged ankle

Two teenage surfers were bitten within 5 minutes of each other – (a beach official reckons they were different sharks), while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida in the US. It’s the first attack of the year at New Smyrna Beach – notorious for several shark bites every year, although generally pretty minor ones.

Nick Romano, 17, suffered an 8-inch wound to his calf. He paddled back to shore and was taken to Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach. He had 17 stitches and was released.

He is quoted as saying:

“I saw the full thing right in front of me. The tail whipped right in front of me.

“Every surfer always thinks, ‘Oh one day I’m going to get bit by a shark.’ Today was my day.”

The other victim was 15-year-old Sydney Levy who was surfing with her mother. She was bitten on the ankle about 5 minutes after the attack on Romano. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital.

Sydney’s mom who saw her get pulled under the water by the shark is quoted as saying:

“This was my worst nightmare.

“To me it was like a scene out of Jaws where the girl is getting sucked under.  I said, ‘there is no way this thing is going to kill my daughter.’ I grabbed her shoulders and I pulled her up and threw her on the nose of my board.”

She said the shark continued swimming around them as they called out for help to two nearby surfers who helped them to shore.

Both surfers said the shark was about 4 or 5 feet long. The species was not identified.

Sources:

The Daytona Beach News Journal

10 News

Miami Herald

PIC Source:

10 News