Talk about the wrong time at the wrong place. One teenage lifeguard in training is in the hospital after a shark attack. Unlike other shark attacks, the lifeguard had the misfortune of surprising the shark.
You see, the lifeguard accidentally jumped right on top of the shark while training at a Florida summer camp. The incident happened in Volusia County, which you may recognize as a place I've already talked about several times in the past. That's because Volusia County is the shark attack of the world. There are more shark attacks here than anywhere else in the world, which is both impressive and terrifying. Apparently, there are so many sharks here that you can literally jump into the water and land on one.
The 14-year-old lifeguard wound up in the hospital. The shark bit him in the leg, according to Volusia County Beach Safety (VCBS) officials. The incident happened at 11:15 a.m. on Monday. The teen entered the water at Ponce Inlet when the attack occurred. He was training at the Junior Lifeguard Camp. Eyewitnesses have also identified the type of shark that bit the boy. They said it was a 4 to 5 Black Tip. Apparently, the sharks are common to the beaches in the county.
According to witnesses, the boy dove into the water and landed directly on top of the creature. The animal then whipped around and bit him in the leg. Following the incident, emergency services treated his wounds at the scene. They then transported him to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, he suffered non-life-threatening lacerations. He's not in any critical danger.
The bite of a shark can be life-changing. One woman recently lost most of her calf after a shark took a chunk out of her leg. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there have 351 attacks in Volusia County since 1882. The second hot spot for shark activity and attacks is Hawaii. It had 16 shark bites in 2023.
Typically, shark attacks happen the most in September. However, July, August, and October remain active months for attacks as well. So far, it's been an active year for attacks, and at this point, I urge you to stay safe out there. Don't make yourselves my next story. I would rather write about more pleasant things.
