A 4th of July shark attack at a Texas beach with three victims harkens back to the classic summer blockbuster Jaws. This followed yet another shark attack on the 4th in Florida.
In Texas, three individuals were bitten on South Padre Island, a barrier island near Brownsville. The shark was eventually found and guided back into deeper waters, according to Fire Chief Jim Pigg.
“It’s unprecedented here on South Padre Island,” Chief Pigg told NBC News. He reported two separate shark bite incidents that occurred at different times and locations on the 4th of July holiday.
Police responded to a 911 call at 11 a.m. about a severe shark bite, with the victim taken to a local hospital. Another person at the scene had minor injuries. However, they did not require further emergency care.
Following a second 911 call regarding a shark attack, firefighters discovered two individuals who had been bitten by a shark, Pigg reported. Both victims were subsequently transported to a hospital.
Local Kyle Jud reported witnessing a woman being pulled from the water with what appeared to be a bite on her leg.
He described a shocking scene.
“Beach patrol lifted her up… her calf was just gone, shredded. Horrific,” Jud recalled. He shared a video of a shark cruising around, while a helicopter and boat kept an eye on the animal.
One of the 4th of July Shark Attack Victims Was Airlifted for Advanced Treatment
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reported that one of the victims was airlifted from a Brownsville hospital for advanced treatment.
“Shark encounters of this nature are not a common occurrence in Texas,” the department pointed out. “When bites from sharks do occur, they are usually a case of mistaken identity by sharks looking for food.”
Chief Pigg stated that the type of shark involved has not been identified and that an investigation is underway. He did not add if he felt investigators needed a bigger boat.
Lifeguards in South Padre Island, a beach town with a population of around 2,000, were advising people to either stay out of the water. They also urged folks to wade no deeper than knee level, according to Pigg.
There have been no further sightings of the shark since it was pushed out to deeper water. However, Chief Pigg said authorities would remain on high alert.
Meanwhile, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, a 21-year-old man was bitten by a shark while playing football in knee-deep water around 4 p.m., according to Tamra Malphurs, interim director of Volusia County Beach Safety. The man, visiting from Ohio, was taken to a hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Malphurs reported.