Shark attacks have been recorded in the waters off the coast of Florida since the 19th century, wherein hundreds of confirmed human-shark encounters have been reported. While no fatal shark attacks have transpired in the Sunshine State for more than a decade, the region has witnessed a spate of shark-related injuries in recent years. Recently, a brutal shark attack left a Florida man in critical condition.
The man was fishing on a small boat when the incident happened on the east coast of Florida last week, according to local reports. The shark species involved in the boat attack remains a mystery at this time. However, great white sharks were previously reported swimming in the waters of the southeastern state, where they migrate into when waters in the north get cold. In May 2024, a 9-foot white shark was spotted off Florida's Marco Island.
Florida Man Survives Shark Attack
(Photo : Photo by Oleksandr Sushko on Unsplash)
The recent Florida shark attack took place off the coast of Fernandina Beach at around 11:15 a.m. EDT (local time) on Friday, June 28. The area is located approximately 35 miles north of Jacksonville city. According to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, the man in his 40s sustained a "severe" shark bite on his right arm and lost a lot of blood. A deputy officer responded to the incident and boarded the boat.
The officer then applied a tourniquet to stop the victim's bleeding. Afterward, emergency personnel immediately airlifted the Florida man to a nearby hospital in Jacksonville. Recent updates indicate that the man is in critical condition but is already recovering. Friday's incident is the 3rd shark attack recorded in the Gulf Coast of Florida since June 2024, but there were no reported human fatalities.
A Reddit post about the incident over the weekend has started to draw attention, garnering a total of 75 votes and 20 comments. The Florida shark attack incident comes a week after "The Pirates of the Caribbean" actor Tamayo Perry died in a shark attack in Hawaii in June.
Florida Shark Attack Statistics
Just like in the waters of South Africa and Australia, shark attacks do happen in Florida. Based on the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File (ISAF), many counties of the Sunshine State have incurred confirmed unprovoked shark attacks since the year 1882. The leading county is Volusia with 351 shark attacks, followed by Brevard with 158, and Palm Beach with 83 attacks.
Across the United States, the ISAF database shows Florida is the leading state with the highest number of recorded shark attacks at 928 since the year 1837, followed by Hawaii with 195, California with 138, South Carolina with 118, and North Carolina with 80 attacks as of Monday, July 1. These shark encounters have also been reported to be unprovoked.
Related Article: Hawaii Shark Attack: 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Actor Dies While Surfing Near Goat Island, Fueling Shark Concerns in the Area