Surfer Attacked By Shark In Indian Harbour Beach, Florida

A surfer was attacked and bitten by a shark in Indian Harbour, Florida. Authorities confirmed the 44-year-old man suffered a serious injury to his left hand. Although he was “bleeding profusely,” the unidentified victim is expected to survive.

According to witness reports, the man was surfing off the shore of Bicentennial Beach Park when he was approached by a small shark. Following the attack, the man made his way to the shore.

As reported by USA Today, paramedics with Brevard County Fire Rescue responded to the scene. As they were unable to stop the bleeding, the victim was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center for further treatment.

Indian Harbour Police Department Corporal John Knudsen said the shark “took a piece out of” the victim’s hand. Although the man will require stitches to close the wound, he is expected to “be OK.”

In 2013 alone, the The International Shark Attack File confirmed 72 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide. As defined by the ISAF, unprovoked shark attacks are “incidents where an attack on a live human by a shark occurs in its natural habitat without provocation of the shark.”

Although shark attacks appear to be on the rise, experts have not seen a notable increase in shark populations. Instead, the ISAF blames an increase in “the number of hours spent in the water by humans.”

According to the ISAF, the agency’s “efficiency in discovering and investigating” shark attacks has “improved greatly over the past 25 years.” This improvement likely contributed to the number of documented shark attacks worldwide.

Historically, Florida has seen the largest number of shark attacks each year. Last year, the agency recorded 23 shark attacks in the state of Florida — with a majority of the attacks occurring in Volusia County. Unfortunately, a majority of those harmed by sharks are surfers.

The ISAF reports that a majority of those bitten by sharks survive, and they offer advice for thwarting a life-threatening attack.

“Hitting a shark on the nose, ideally with an inanimate object, usually results in the shark temporarily curtailing its attack. One should try to get out of the water at this time. If this is not possible, repeated blows to the snout may offer a temporary reprieve, but the result is likely to become increasingly less effective. If a shark actually bites, we suggest clawing at its eyes and gill openings, two sensitive areas. One should not act passively if under attack sharks respect size and power.”

Although he was seriously injured, the Florida surfer survived the shark attack and is expected to recover.

[Image via Dan Callister]