Shark bite: Teenager hospitalized after marine accident at North Topsail Beach in Onslow County, North Carolina

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, N.C. (WTVD) – A shark bit a boy swimming in the ocean at North Topsail Beach in North Carolina on Sunday.

North Topsail Beach Police said it happened around 12:30 p.m. Passersby jumped into the water and pulled the 14-year-old boy to safety. When rescuers arrived at the beach, they placed towels and pressure on the bite wound.

Emergency crews arrived two minutes after their call as they were already on scene for another medical emergency.

Rescuers then took the boy to the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune for treatment. Officials said doctors were able to repair the boy’s leg. He is expected to leave the hospital soon.

North Topsail Beach Police Chief William Younginer said there had been no shark sightings prior to the incident. He also said shark-human encounters were rare in the area where the boy was bitten.