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Three people injured after two shark attacks on Gulf Coast beach

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Three people were seriously injured Friday following multiple shark attacks along the Gulf Coast. At around 1:20 p.m., the Walton County Sheriff’s Office reported a 45-year-old woman was injured in a shark attack on Founders Lane at Watersound Beach, Florida. The woman, who was reportedly swimming 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. She was immediately treated on the beach and then flown by helicopter to HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital, where she remains in critical condition. Less than two hours later and just four miles east, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and South Walton Fire District responded to a second shark attack near Sandy Shores Court in Rosemary Beach. Fire officials said two young girls 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, both of which required tourniquets. She was flown by helicopter to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, where she remains in critical condition. The second girl suffered a “flesh wound” to her right foot and is in stable condition. “While we have had a few of these types of incidents in our history, it is highly unusual for two of them to happen on the same afternoon and within four miles of each other,” said Ryan Crawford, South Walton Fire District Chief. Double red flags are flying over Walton County beaches, officially closing the Gulf of Mexico to the public until further notice. Earlier that day, the South Walton Fire District had posted yellow and purple flags for moderate surf hazards and stinging marine life. South Walton Fire District officials say several citizens with medical expertise were on scene and provided “life-saving aid.” 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.

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. —

Three people were seriously injured on Friday after several shark attacks along the Gulf Coast.

At around 1:20 p.m., 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 she remains in critical condition.

Less than two hours later and just four miles east, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office and South Walton Fire District responded to a second shark attack near Sandy Shores Court in Rosemary Beach.

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According to firefighters, two young girls were swimming with a group of friends in waist-deep water just inside the beach’s first sandbar.

One of the girls suffered severe injuries to an upper and lower extremity, both of which required a tourniquet. She was flown by helicopter to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, where she remains in critical condition.

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

“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 are flying over Walton County beaches, officially closing the Gulf of Mexico to the public until further notice.

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

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

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.

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