Florida Shark Attack: Woman Punches Lemon Shark in the Face After It Bit Her Ankle

A woman repeatedly punched a six-foot shark in the head until it let go of her foot, which it bit while she was snorkeling in Florida.

Heather West, 42, who resides in Texas, told the Daily Mail that the lemon shark kept on "tugging and tugging," and she could feel the shark's teeth in her ankle.

George Burgess, a University of Florida professor and organizer of the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), said the main reason there are more shark attacks in the U.S. is its huge coastline and lots of people. He added that many parts of the country are also heavy tourist areas, The Guardian reported.

West said she was heading back to shore when the lemon shark attacked her. She noted that she was wearing flippers, and her kick was not doing much damage. That was when she decided to lean forward and start punching the lemon shark.

Woman Bitten By Lemon Shark in Florida

Heather West said her initial thought was one of her fellow snorkelers was trying to scare her. However, she quickly glanced up and saw that they were all waiting on the shore.

Before the terrifying incident, she said she was really excited to explore Loggerhead Key at Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida with the people she met while traveling as they were experienced snorkelers.

West noted that she punched the shark in the face over and over again as hard as she could, and it finally let go after 30 seconds.

When the lemon shark finally let go of her foot, she said she was in complete shock for the next two minutes and could not swim.

At that point, she noted that her friends had got back in the water to help her. The group came across two park rangers, who radioed over to nearby Fort Jefferson to send medical assistance.

Medical experts came and knew that West needed hospital treatment. Multiple tourniquets were placed above her ankle to stop the bleeding.

West noted that the boat trip to Fort Jefferson was the worst bit of the whole experience as the tourniquets they were tying were so excruciatingly painful, "like having "chunks of flesh ripped" from her leg.

West said the doctor folded the skin back down and sewed up her foot. She added that she has little control over her right foot and ankle due to ligament and tendon damage. However, she was reassured that it could return over time.

Shark Attack in the United States

In 2021, shark attacks had made a sharp jump after three consecutive years of decline. However, officials said beach closures in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could be making the numbers bigger than they are.

According to CBS News, Florida accounted for nearly 40 percent of unprovoked shark bites around the world. ISAF researchers reported 73 unprovoked attacks in 2021 compared to 52 bites in 2020.

ISAF manager Tyler Bowling noted that 52 bites in 2020 were the lowest documented in more than a decade, while the 73 bites in 2021 were more nearly aligned with the five-year global average of 72.

Bowling said 2021 was more typical, with the average bite numbers coming from white, bull, and tiger sharks. Australia led the world with three unprovoked deaths, followed by New Caledonia with two.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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