Two Swimmers Survive Shark Attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Two swimmers survived two different shark attacks near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina in a single day.

According to MyrtleBeachSC News, Master Corporal Kevin Larke of the Myrtle Beach Police Department said that one of the swimmers had suffered a "bad bite" to the forearm during the ordeals on Monday. The swimmers' personal information has not been made public. It is still unkown whether it was the same shark or two individual sharks that was responsible for both attacks.

Past Bites

Prior to August 15, this year's only other shark attack at Myrtle Beach occurred in late June.

The two Myrtle Beach incidents bring South Carolina's tally for 2022 to four. In contrast to just one attack in 2020, the state also noted four shark attacks in 2021.

Given the enormous number of people who swim and surf along the coasts, the chance of an unprovoked shark attack is incredibly low. According to the website Shark Attack Data, South Carolina has only documented 116 unprovoked shark attacks on humans since 1900. Nine of those attacks resulted in fatalities, with the most recent fatality occurring in 2005.

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack Files, you are more likely to die in a bicycle accident than a shark attack in the US.

Although the species responsible for the attacks in Myrtle Beach is still unknown, a variety of shark species can be found off the coast of South Carolina.

Sharks of South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources reports that 12 species, including great whites, bull sharks, sand tigers, tiger sharks, blacktip sharks, lemon sharks, and hammerheads, have been discovered in the state's waters. In terms of large coastal shark species, tiger sharks accounted for 45% of the transmitter days.

In the recent weeks, there have also been reports of great white sharks off the coast of South Carolina. On August 2, Breton, an OCEARCH-tagged 13-foot great white shark, was pinged about 60 miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach.

It is common for great white sharks to pass by South Carolina during this time of year because of their seasonal migration patterns, which include swimming from Canada or New England to Florida in the summer and again down to Florida in the winter.

Shark Tips

Despite the low risks, the Florida Museum suggests beachgoers to swim with a companion close to shore. They should avoid swimming at dawn or dusk, or near where people are fishing, to minimize the risk of a shark attack.

According to the museum, if a shark approaches, swimmers should keep eye contact with the shark, slowly back away from it, and if at all possible, get out of the water, Newsweek reports.

One of the World's Most Dangerous

How Stuff Works investigated the locations that are among the riskiest for shark attacks. Attacks occur everywhere, from places like Brazil to US cities, and South Carolina is one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

Since 1837, there have been 107 shark attacks in South Carolina. 37 of those attacks happened along the long stretch of coastline in Charleston County.