A 7-year-old boy is recovering after being bitten by a shark in Fort Lauderdale, while half a world away, a young Australian spearfisherman was transported to hospital after a shark encounter.
J.J. Sousa was visiting Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida with his cousins March 25 when the crew decided to take a dip. As he was swimming in the shallows, a large school of fish swam toward the boy and a large brown fish bit his right hand.
His mother Grace Sousa pulled him from the water and took him to lifeguards who wrapped his hand missing a “chunk” of flesh.
J.J. was taken to Broward Health Medical Center where doctors repaired his torn tendons. The family is thankful his hand is still attached and he can move his fingers after the tissue and tendons were reconstructed.
His mother said he is still in shock and that he wants to warn other swimmers to be careful, to be aware of their surroundings and to check with lifeguards to see if it is safe to swim.
This is the third shark attack bite in Florida in the past two weeks.
Jay Weiskopf, 9, was bitten on the shoulder in the shallows of Miami Beach March 21. The autistic boy needed around 100 stitches to sew up his shoulder wound.
Brice Albert, 20, was bitten on the arm March 18 while swimming off Juno Beach Pier. Doctors thought the Auburn University student might lose his arm, but thankfully he did not.
Blacktips are migrating this time of year and can come close to shore as they are searching for or chasing fish. It is advisable to avoid the water at dusk and dawn and whenever you see baitfish or birds diving into the water.
Two days later in Australia, a spearfisherman was airlifted to the hospital after being bitten by a shark.
Jackson Howson, who is in his 20s, was spearfishing off Coral Bay March 27 when a shark grabbed for the same fish Howson had just speared but bit Howson’s hand.
The attack left him with a 5-8cm bite wound on his left leg calf. He was able to punch the shark before swimming 100 meters (about the length of a football field) to his boat.
With the help of Good Samaritans who assisted his girlfriend with the boat, he was taken to shore around 12:15 p.m. He was transported by ambulance to Coral Bay Nursing Post, but his injury is not considered life-threatening. Surgeons repaired his injuries at the hospital.
Department of Fisheries representatives believe a bronze whaler or bull shark was responsible for the attack that occurred offshore about 750 km of 500 to 1000 south of Warroora Station.
All locations have been marked on the 2021 Shark Attack Map.
