Two ocean-users are recovering after being attacked by sharks in Florida, while another shark attack has occurred in New York.
In Florida
A man was severely injured July 31 near 10th Avenue South off Jacksonville Beach.
Around noon Nadya Hicks, 16, was surfing when she saw a man yelling for help as he bobbed in the water and waved his arms. Lifeguards on the beach also saw the man and began swimming to assist.
Hicks met the lifeguards and shark-bitten man in the water and passed her board to the injured swimmer. The man grabbed her board and, with the help from Hicks and lifeguards, was pulled into shore. Once they made it to the beach, she saw the man’s foot was shredded.
Lifeguards administered first aid and the man was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Teen bitten on the face by shark in Florida Keys.
Fischer Hricko, 13, was lobster hunting July 27 with his family in the Florida Keys when a shark struck.
Hricko was snorkeling when he spotted a lobster and swooped in with his net. As he was surfacing, he felt something nudge his back. He turned around to see a nurse shark that immediately latched onto the Oviedo, Fla., teen’s mouth. Hricko pulled the shark from his mouth and headed toward the boat.
His father swam out to him and, with the help of other family members, pulled the teen onto the boat. Once on shore they drove to a clinic where he received 10 stitches in his mouth.
After healing up overnight, the teen was ready to go back in the water again, but will be following doctor’s orders to stay out until his injury is healed.
Another shark attack in New York
Max Haynes, 16, was surfing off Kismet Beach on Fire Island July 20 when he was bitten by a shark.
The Islip resident had just joked to his friend that a shark might attack him as they played in the waves. Haynes was about 45 feet from shore when he felt a pressure on his right foot which he said felt like stepping into a bear trap.
After being kicked, the estimated 6-foot shark released its grip and Hayes headed to shore. Once on the beach, at first Haynes’ friends didn’t believe he had been bitten by a shark, but that changed when they saw the 4-inch wound under his right toe.
He was transported to the hospital via ambulance, where he was bandaged and given antibiotics. The avid waterman plans on getting back in the water as soon as he can.
A recent spike of shark attack bites have occurred this year in New York. Cleaner water and hotter weather have brought more people and sharks to the beach. Thankfully, the majority of shark incidents have resulted in minor injuries.
All locations have been marked on the 2022 Shark Attack Map.
