Christian Sanhueza, was celebrating his ninth birthday at Tables Beach located on Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, Florida. He was boogieboarding in chest deep water, when a shark bit his heel severing his Achilles’ tendon and damaging his ligaments. The incident occurred Saturday August 2nd around 1pm.
The Patrick Air Force Base Fire Department told WFTW the bite marks were consistent with a shark bite. The boy’s mother Melissa Sanhueza saw a3-foot shark and told said It happened fast. As soon as he went under, he shot right back up screaming, ‘Mommy! A shark bit my foot!” The boy was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center and is in stable condition. He is expected to be released from the hospital on Friday.
Reinaldo Sanhueza said “I wanted to give the glory to God for my son and for we understand that it could have been a lot worse.
The incident has been mapped on the 2014 shark bites/attack map. Florida’s East coast has an active population of small sharks and often times they will be looking for fish in the rough surf. Unfortunately the surf that is so fun to swim in makes the water visibility pretty much zilch, which sometimes leads sharks to mistake feet for fish. When this does occur the shark will normally let go and swim away. Most injuries are small lacerations that are easily treated.
There have been no fatal attacks reported in US waters in 2014.
Article updated 8/6/14
