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Three people injured in two shark attacks on Gulf Coast beach on Friday

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A Mountain Brook church is holding a prayer service Sunday for two of its teen members injured in a shark attack on Florida’s Gulf Coast Friday afternoon. The service is set for 4 p.m. at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, 3736 Montrose Road, Birmingham, AL 35213. During the Sunday morning service, the Rev. Richmond Webster said the two girls were active in the church’s youth group and were very loved. > > PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 2 Mountain Brook teens and woman seriously injured in back-to-back shark attacks on Florida’s Gulf Coast Fire officials said a shark attacked the girls near Sandy Shores Court off Seacrest Beach. They were swimming with a group of friends in waist-deep water just inside the beach’s first sandbar. One of the girls suffered significant injuries to an upper and lower extremity. She was flown by helicopter to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, where she was in critical condition. The second girl suffered a “flesh wound” to her right foot and was in stable condition. South Walton Fire District officials said several citizens with medical expertise were on scene and provided “life-saving aid.” Less than two hours earlier, at around 1:20 p.m. and about four miles west of there, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and South Walton Fire District had responded to another shark attack. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 45-year-old woman was injured in a shark attack on Founders Lane at Watersound Beach, Florida. The woman, who reportedly swam past the beach’s first sandbar with her husband, suffered “significant injuries to her midsection and pelvis” and lost the lower portion of her left arm, according to the South Walton Fire District. She was immediately treated on the beach before being flown via helicopter to HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, where she was in critical condition. “These types of incidents, while we’ve had a few of them here throughout our history, are highly unusual, extremely unusual for two to happen on the same afternoon and within four miles of each other,” said South Walton Fire District Chief Ryan Crawford. Double red flags flew over Walton County beaches, officially closing the Gulf of Mexico to the public until further notice. Previously, the South Walton Fire District had posted yellow and purple flags for moderate surf danger and stinging marine life. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said the last shark incident in Walton County occurred in June 2021. A 14-year-old survived a bite to the chest after swimming 40 yards from shore at Grayton State Park.>> WVTM 13 ON THE GO: Download our app for free

A Mountain Brook church is holding a prayer service Sunday for two of its teenage members who were injured in a shark attack on Florida’s Gulf Coast Friday afternoon.

Services are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, 3736 Montrose Road, Birmingham, AL 35213.

During the Sunday morning service, Reverend Richmond Webster said the two girls were active in the church’s youth group and were very loved.

> > PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 2 teens and a Mountain Brook woman seriously injured in back-to-back shark attacks on Florida’s Gulf Coast

According to fire officials, the girls were attacked by a shark near Sandy Shores Court off Seacrest Beach.

They were swimming with a group of friends in waist-deep water just inside the first sandbank of the beach.

One of the girls suffered significant injuries to an upper and lower extremity. She was flown by helicopter to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, where she was in critical condition.

The second girl suffered a “flesh wound” on her right foot and was in stable condition.

South Walton Fire District officials said several citizens with medical expertise were on scene and provided “life-saving aid.”

Less than two hours earlier, at approximately 1:20 p.m. and about four miles west, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and South Walton Fire Department responded to another shark attack.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 45-year-old woman was injured in a shark attack in Founders Lane at Watersound Beach, Florida.

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The woman, who reportedly swam past the beach’s first sandbar with her husband, suffered “significant injuries to her midsection and pelvis” and lost the lower part of her left arm, according to the South Walton Fire District.

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She was immediately treated on the beach and then flown by helicopter to HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, where her condition was listed as critical.

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“We’ve had a number of incidents like this throughout our history, but it’s highly unusual for two of them to occur on the same afternoon and within four miles of each other,” said Ryan Crawford, chief of the South Walton Fire District.

Double red flags flew over Walton County beaches, officially closing the Gulf of Mexico to the public until further notice.

Earlier that day, the South Walton Fire District posted yellow and purple flags due to moderate surf hazards and dangerous marine life.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said the last shark incident in Walton County occurred in June 2021. A 14-year-old survived a bite to the chest after swimming 40 yards from shore in Grayton State Park.

>> WVTM 13 ON THE GO: Download our app for free

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