3 beachgoers injured in shark attacks in Florida

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. – After encounters with sharks on a beach in Florida, authorities were forced to close the waters to swimmers on Friday. At least three people had to be hospitalized.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said the incidents occurred north of Panama City Beach near Watersound and Seacrest beaches in the Florida Panhandle.

According to officials, the victims’ injuries were not life-threatening to critical, but all were lucky to receive quick care from first responders and other beachgoers.

The first incident occurred at around 1:20 p.m. local time, when a woman was swimming with her husband and was critically bitten by a shark.

According to rescue workers, the victim was flown by helicopter to a medical center due to her injuries. She was last reportedly in critical condition there.

About an hour and a half after the first attack, authorities said they were notified of a second incident about 4 miles away involving a group of teenagers.

According to first responders, two teenagers suffered various injuries consistent with a shark attack in waist-deep water.

One of the teenage girls was taken to a trauma center in Pensacola, the other was transported by ground to a nearby hospital.

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Authorities have contacted marine experts to determine whether there was anything unusual about the attacks or whether the swimmers were simply in the right place at the wrong time.

Double red flags are currently flying on county beaches, meaning the Gulf of Mexico is closed to swimmers.

“We advise beachgoers that lifeguards and beach officials may attempt to keep people in the immediate area out of the water,” the sheriff’s office said.

Data from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File show that shark attacks along the Florida Panhandle are relatively rare, with only about a dozen cases reported in the past 142 years.

The sheriff’s office said it recalls at least two previous shark incidents in Walton County. In 2005, a teen was attacked on a boogie board and eventually succumbed to her injuries. In 2021, a 14-year-old boy was attacked while swimming and survived.

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According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, swimmers and surfers should generally avoid being in the water during twilight, when sharks are most active.

Beachgoers are generally advised not to enter the water if they have an open wound or are wearing shiny jewelry – both of which can attract sharks due to their keen senses.