Long-distance swimmer in hospital after shark attack off Del Mar

A 46-year-old man was hospitalized with serious injuries Sunday after he was attacked by a shark while swimming off Del Mar in San Diego County.

ABC News 10 reports that the man was doing distance training with other swimmers about 100 yards offshore when the shark struck around 9 a.m.

The unidentified man was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla with injuries to his upper body, left arm and hand. He is expected to survive.

According to NBC News 7, the incident occurred behind the Beach Safety Center on 17th Street.

Lifeguards have closed beaches in the area to swimming and surfing until 9 a.m. Tuesday.

The species of shark has not been identified, but the coastal waters off Del Mar and nearby Torrey Pines State Beach are used as nurseries by young great white sharks.

Young great white sharks feed mainly on rays and other fish species, while adult great white sharks mainly hunt seals and sea lions.

In November 2022, a 50-year-old woman survived an attack by a suspected great white shark while swimming 200 meters off the coast of Del Mar.

Lyn Jutronich, the victim, was subsequently quoted by ABC News:

“I saw it latch onto my leg. So I don’t know if I saw it bite my leg or if I saw it after it bit my leg, but I definitely saw the mouth. It was on my right leg and it trembled once, a little bit like a dog, and then it let go of me.”

–Image of a juvenile great white shark taken last year near Del Mar is courtesy of ©Pete Thomas.