Shark Attack 2015: 13-Year-Old Girl Attacked by Shark Off North Carolina Coast
A 13-year-old girl survived what appeared to be a shark attack off the coast of North Carolina on Thursday.
Officials say that the teenager was bitten by what witnesses describe as a 4-foot-long shark at Ocean Isle Beach, WECT reports. According to Ocean Isle Mayor Debbie Smith, the attack was reported to her about 40 minutes after noon. Mayor Smith added that the girl suffered from three or four minor lacerations. She was treated at a hospital.
One witness at the scene said it looked as though the girl's foot was bitten. Another told a 911 dispatcher, "It got a hold of her foot and bit her board in half."
In a 911 tape, a caller can be heard saying that the victim was bit on her right foot around her toe. "It's bleeding pretty bad," the caller said.
Another witness named Alexa Whittemore told WWAY that the teen "wobbled out and left the boogie board and (the shark) just went at the boogie." She added, "I felt like I needed to warn people but it was surreal. Like it was definitely surreal, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh I just hope she has her legs,' like I felt so bad for her cause she was so young."
Earlier this year, a 65-year-old woman died after being attacked by a shark in Hawaii in April. Officials say that a female resident of Kihei was snorkeling with two friends before they were separated. That's when she was attacked at a popular surf spot near Big Beach at Makena State Park known as "Dumps," according to the Maui Fire Department.
Snorkelers found her unresponsive and lying face down about 200 yards offshore, Maui Fire Department said in a news release.
"The victim reportedly was snorkeling with two other friends and at some point separated from the others," the Fire Department said, reports CNN. "She was alone when she was found."
Medics said that she had suffered severe injuries to her upper torso.
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