Shark attacks in Florida: Three injured, questions raised

(NewsNation) — Two consecutive shark attacks in the Florida Panhandle injured a woman and two teenagers Friday.

The first attack occurred when a 45-year-old woman was swimming with her husband at around 1 p.m. Just an hour and a half later, two teenagers were attacked just six kilometers to the east.

Three attacks were reported in southern Walton County within 90 minutes, prompting authorities to warn beachgoers to be on high alert.

The attacks are a phenomenon that Dr. Catherine Macdonald, director of the shark research and conservation program at the University of Miami, describes as “incredibly rare.”

“The footage I’ve seen from that day suggests there were a lot of fish in the waters near the shore at that time,” Macdonald said. “And wherever there are fish, sharks could be actively foraging.”

Macdonald said an increased fish population near shore could require increased attention from swimmers and surfers.

Macdonald also recommends staying close to other people in the water, wearing bright colors and being aware of your surroundings in open water.

“It’s very clear to me that sharks want to get away from us and avoid us as much as possible,” Macdonald said. “So if you make it very clear that you are human, it will make it clear to a shark that they don’t want anything to do with you.”

It is not yet known which species or sharks bit the victims.