Shark Attacks 13-Year-Old At Florida Beach, Bites Her Ankle And Foot

KEY POINTS

A 13-year-old was rushed to the hospital due to shark bite injuries
The girl was found with minor cuts on her right foot and ankle
Lifeguards continue to monitor the area after the shark attack

A 13-year-old girl is expected to recover shortly after being bitten by a shark at Fernandina Beach, Florida.

What was supposed to be a fun day at the beach turned into a visit to the hospital after a teenage girl was found by lifeguards with minor cuts on her right foot and ankle, 10 Tampa Bay WTSP has learned.

The shark bite happened at about 2:26 p.m. Sunday, according to the Fernandina Beach Fire Department. Officials said the girl was not able to identify what type or size of marine life bit her.

Lifeguards immediately closed the waters to other swimmers after being notified of the incident. The double-red flags were later lowered and the waters were opened at about 5:30 p.m., according to News4Jax.

First Coast News has uploaded a video of the shark believed to have bitten the child.

“She was in only about two feet of water it was not very deep, they were in a slough that runs between the sand bar and beach," ocean rescue supervisor Haynes Cavender said.

Cavender told First Coast News in an interview that the last time someone was bitten by a shark around the area was 2 or 3 years ago.

“They don’t happen often but I mean we do have sharky waters. You know northeast Florida is very sharky and in addition, the water is murky so they can’t really see anything and it’s pretty much all touch and feel for sharks," Cavender said.

The rescue supervisor went on to advise people to avoid going to the sloughs and on the edges of sandbars because sharks usually gather and eat there.

“Dusk and dawn are feeding times for sharks so we don’t want to go in the water at that time. We don’t want to wear any shiny jewelry, bracelets, rings, or anything like that because it resembles a fish," Cavender noted.

The girl was rushed to Baptist Medical Center Nassau for her injuries, and she is now in a stable condition. Meanwhile, Lifeguard Zone Supervisors are still monitoring the beaches for any presence of marine life that could pose danger to the swimmers.