A man in his 40s was attacked by a shark on Tuesday afternoon at Hollywood beach, in Broward County, while he was swimming peacefully.
The attack, which occurred in the 4100 block of Ocean Drive just before 3:00 p.m., left the victim with severe injuries to one of his arms and prompted an immediate response from emergency services.
According to reports from several local media, authorities received an alert call about an injured person in the water, and the teams from Hollywood Fire Rescue, along with the staff from Hallandale Beach Ocean Rescue, quickly responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, rescuers found a man with "an injury to the upper torso," according to Chai Kauffman, spokesperson for the Hollywood Fire, Rescue, and Beach Safety Department.
A tourniquet was applied at the scene of the incident, and he was immediately transported to Memorial Regional Hospital for treatment.
It was later confirmed that the injury was the result of a shark bite on the upper arm.
Kauffman stated that, “to the best of my knowledge, this is the first shark attack reported in the area.”
Witnesses of the incident reported that the man suddenly jumped into the water and began to scream, which attracted the attention of those nearby.
Reaction on the beach and safety measures
After the attack, the rescuers activated the corresponding security protocol, evacuating the swimmers from the water.
"According to our routine, it's 30 minutes. Our lifeguards call people to come out of the ocean and there's a 30 minute wait until we see other marine life, and there were none, so we allowed people to return to the beach,” Kauffman explained.
This attack in Hollywood Beach adds to another incident reported in Volusia County in recent days.
There, an 18-year-old surf instructor, Sam Hollis, was bitten on the foot while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, about 60 miles northeast of Orlando.
Volusia County tops the list of shark bite incidents in Florida, with 359 recorded cases, far ahead of Brevard County, which has 159, according to the International Shark Attack File.
Authorities have reiterated to surfers the need to take extra precautions, avoid murky water, and not surf alone, especially in areas where recent incidents have occurred.
Tips for Surviving a Shark Attack
In this context, experts have reminded us of some key guidelines for responding to a shark attack.
Paul de Gelder, who stars in the Discovery Channel special "How to Survive a Shark Attack," shared several recommendations:
-Stay calm and don’t splash: “I know that not panicking goes against all natural instincts for self-preservation, but it’s the most important thing you can do,” he said.
"You have to understand that these sharks don't really know who you are; you are almost their size, and they don't want to fight."
-Stay alert: Staring directly at the shark can be deterrent.
“They know when you’re watching; they don’t want to attack you when you’re observing; they look for an easy target,” explained de Gelder.
Push, don't hit: As a last resort, pushing the shark on the nose may help to deter it.
"Striking is often less effective than pushing firmly," he concluded.
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