FATAL – 23 October 2012 — Surf Beach, Lompoc, California, USA – surfer attacked

Francisco Javier Solario’s board – with the shark bite mark.

Vandenberg Air Force Base security forces block the entrance to Surf Beach at Vandenberg Air Force Base following a fatal shark attack on a surfer at the beach on 23 October 2012.

Francisco Javier Solorio Jr., 39, was killed by a shark while surfing at Surf Beach, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, California, about 240km north of Los Angeles.

He was bitten on his upper torso.

According to press reports a fellow surfer pulled him to shore and tried to resuscitate him, but when paramedics arrived on the scene they pronounced him dead.

The beach is located near Vandenberg Air Force Base, the site of a fatal shark attack in 2010.

The type of shark involved and other details were not immediately available.
UPDATE:

The shark is believed to be a 15-16 foot great white.

Sources:

CBC News
BBC News
ABC News
Huff Post

PIC source:

CBC News
SFGate

INJURED – 15 August 2012 – Gulf Shores, Alabama, United States – swimmer bitten

A man (name not released) suffered minor lacerations to his leg from a shark bite while swimming near Gulf State Park Pier, Gulf Shores, Alabama. The incident happened around mid-morning Wednesday 15 August 2012. He was reportedly in waist deep water at the time of the attack.

He was treated at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center in Foley where he received stitches to close the wounds.

No other details were reported.

Sources:
WTVM
http://www.wtvm.com/story/19296987/shark-bites-swimmer-off-alabama-coast

FOX
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/19296254/man-bitten-while-swimming-in-gulf-shores

INJURED – 14 June 2012 – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA – 4 swimmers bitten

The wound of one of the 4 shark bite victims at Myrtle Beach

On 14 June 2012 four swimmers reported being bitten by shark in separate incidents at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. The bites were reported over a 10-minute span between 72nd Avenue north and 82nd Avenue North. However, at the time of this blog it was still not confirmed if they were in fact shark bites. Photos of teh bites have been sent to experts at the Shark Attack File in Florida for confirmation. However, one of the victims 16-year-old Jordon Garofalo said his doctor was pretty sure it was a shark because of the bite marks.

A lifeguard on duty at the beach is quoted as saying: “Nobody saw them. Even the guys that got bit didn’t see it. They’re definitely shark bites. One guy’s foot was opened up. The other had a full mouth print around his leg.” He didn’t see the other injuries.

Three people were taken by Emergency Medical Services to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center and the fourth drove himself.

A shark expert Dan Abel told media it was not likely the same shark was responsible for the 4 bites and reckoned it was probably black tip sharks. He said a black tip shark could have a bite between three and six inches in diameter.

Sources:

WTVR
News Observer

INJURED – 2 June 2012 — Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States – body boarder bitten

Ryan Orellana-Maczynski’s shark bite wound. The photo was taken shortly after the incident off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States,

Ryan Orellana-Maczynski, 25, was bitten on the left foot by a small shark while body boarding near 2nd Avenue Pier, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States.

The incident happened about 7.45pm on Saturday 2 June 2012.

“I was sitting on the waves so my feet were dangling and I felt something tug my foot. It was not forceful by any means, but I just felt something there,” he said.

He told media he fought the shark for about 30 seconds and jabbed it in the eyes which made it release its grip.

Some others on the beach helped him from the water. The bite severed an artery, according to Orellana-Maczynski, and the wound was bleeding a lot.

Orellana-Maczynski had surgery on his foot and was expected to make a full recovery.

It wasn’t reported where he was taken to hospital or what type of shark it was.

Sources:
Daily Mail
WBTV

INJURED – 31 May 2012 – Avon, Outer Banks, North Carolina, United States – swimmer bitten

Megan Konkler’s shark bite wound after being stitched up.

Megan Konkler, 33, was bitten on the foot by a shark about 3 to four foot long. She was in shallow water at a beach in Avon, Outer Banks, North Carolina, United States, when the small shark latched onto her foot.

“It felt like 1,000 pounds, a huge weight, pressing down on my foot,” she is quoted as saying.

She pulled her foot from the shark’s mouth and managed to walk ashore, thinking she had lost some toes in the bite. She wrapped her heavily bleeding foot in a blanket.

The incident happened around 1.30pm on Thursday 31 May 2012.

She told the press: “I kept thinking, ‘Don’t pass out, just go, you can make it’.”

It wasn’t reported where she was taken for treatment, but reports said a doctor closed the wound with eight internal stitches, as well as 10 across the top of her foot and five on the bottom. She didn’t lose any toes.

A shark expert said the shark was probably a 3-4 foot blacktip, sharpnose, blacknose or spinner, which are common off the North Carolina coast at this time of year.

No other details were mentioned.

Sources:
Wavy.com
10TV
PilotOnline

PIC Source:
10TV

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

 

SCARED — 6 May 2012 — Catalina Island, California, US — SUP boarder bitten

Santa Catalina Island

A brief press report says a 15-year-old girl was Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) boarding with friends about 200 metres offshore of Catalina Island off the coast of California, United States, when a shark bit her board several times. She was not injured.

The incident happened on Sunday 6 May 2012.

No other details were reported.

Source:
San Francisco Gate

PIC Source:
Robinson Library

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

 

INJURED – 29 October 2011 — Marina State Beach, Monterey County, California, US – surfer attacked

Eric Tarantino was bitten on the neck by a shark while surfing in Califormia

Eric Tarantino, 27, was surfing with friends Saturday morning, 29 October 2011, at Marina State Beach in Monterey County, California, US, when a 9-foot shark bit him on the neck and right forearm. The shark also left teeth marks on his surfboard. The attack occurred just after 7am.

Tarantino was airlifted to the Regional Medical Center of San Jose.

A witness was quoted as saying: “It was still twilight and Eric and a friend were the first two out there. Within about 10 minutes we saw both of them turn around and start paddling in quickly, and a lot of us who surf here consistently realized right away they must have seen a shark.”

His friend was who was with Eric in the water was quoted as saying: “Eric had paddled a little bit deeper than me, onto the peak. I went up over the top of the wave and as I was coming down I could hear him yelling ‘Shark! Shark!’ And at that point we turned around and started paddling in as fast as we could. Luckily, a few minutes later a set came in and we were able to catch it and ride in on our stomachs.”

He said he turned around and saw Tarantino four feet away. His arm was bleeding badly and the water around him was red with blood.

He helped Tarantino ashore.

“We got to the shore, and there were a couple of guys walking on the beach with their boards and I asked them to call 911.”

They used beach towels to make a tourniquet on his arm and to staunch the bleeding from his neck.

Paramedics arrived about eight minutes later, witnesses said, and treated Tarantino before transporting him to Marina Municipal Airport. From there, he was airlifted to San Jose.

A witness in the parking lot said: “The gash to the top of Eric’s forearm was probably 2 inches long. The two gashes on the wrist area were about 4 to 6 inches. The injury to his neck was 2 inches, but fairly deep. But he was conscious and responsive when people were talking to him and his colour looked good.”

The bite narrowly missed Tarantino’s jugular vein and carotid artery, a hospital spokesperson said.

It was not reported what species of shark it was.

Sources:

Washington Post

Monterey Herald

PIC Source:
Washington Post