A rare shark bite has been reported in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Chase Clary, 18, stopped by Moonstone Beach July 22 to enjoy some waves. Unfortunately, wave catching was temporarily suspended after a shark grabbed his foot.
Clary hit the water with his board around 6:30 p.m. and was walking forward at nearly a joggers pace to get in the breaks.
He was about 15 feet away from the shore when a shark grabbed his left ankle.
“I got right into the water. As soon as I got about waist-deep, something just snags my foot,” Clary told NBC 10 News. “I pull it, I have to shove it off and I bolt back to the beach.”
The California native said his left foot was covered in blood and had multiple puncture wounds.
He was treated at The Miriam Hospital in Providence and prescribed antibiotics.
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management believes a sand tiger shark was the species involved in Clary’s bite.
He won’t let the incident affect his love of the water. “It was an experience for sure. It’s not going to keep me out of the water. I love the ocean,” he said.
The news station said viewers reported a second bite in the area, but currently had no verification.
Sand tiger sharks are considered docile, but have been known to bite humans.
On July 18, 2018 Matthew Donaldson, 13, was bitten on the leg at Atlantique Beach off Fire Island in New York.
Donaldson was able to walk out of the water and showed a lifeguard the puncture wounds on his leg.
One of the lifeguards, who was also a medical student, cleaned the wound and found a piece of a shark’s tooth.
The tooth fragment was sent to researchers at the University of Florida International Shark Attack File, who confirmed the tooth was from a sand tiger shark.
As of July 24, 2019, there have been a total of 48 shark attack bites (45 with injury, 11 of which are considered provoked*) publicly reported and verified in 2019. Five fatal**
All locations have been marked on the 2019 Shark Attack Map.
24 were reported in the U.S. (including one fatal), with 8 occurring in Florida (3 provoked), 7 in Hawaii (1 provoked,1 fatal) and 2 in California (1 no injury). Nine have been reported in Australia, zero fatal. Four unconfirmed bites, worldwide, not included in the total count.
*Provoked defined as spearfishing, feeding sharks, fishing, etc. (listed with green marker).
**not including one possible scavenge
