Child injured in shark attack along Southwest Florida beach
Within Florida, most attacks happen in Central Florida, along the Volusia County coastline. New Smyrna Beach and other nearby coastal communities are annually labeled the "shark attack capital of the world."
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Wildlife expert and biologist Forrest Galante explains why we hear about more negative encounters with sharks during the summer. Warm ocean temperatures and more people in the water are contributing factors, according to Galante.
BOCA GRANDE, Fla. - A child is recovering in a Florida hospital after being attacked on Wednesday by a shark while swimming along the state’s Gulf Coast, first responders said.
Friends identified the victim as a 9-year-old girl who was playing with her siblings along Boca Grande Beach when the encounter occurred.
Witnesses indicated that first responders quickly arrived but determined that her injuries were significant enough that she needed to be airlifted to a local hospital.
According to updates shared by her family, the girl sustained significant injuries to her hand and faces a long road to recovery.
"We’re thankful to Jesus for the quick response of emergency crews and the skill of the medical team, she is now stable and going through surgery - fighting hard for her road to recovery," friends shared in an online GoFundMe site.
Authorities in Lee County did not report incidents involving marine life and water conditions have been relatively calm compared to recent weeks.
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File photo of a beach in Lee County, Florida
(Florida Department of Environmental Protection / FOX Weather)
Though attacks are rare, the Sunshine State annually leads the nation in the number of unprovoked shark bites.
According to data compiled by the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File, the state saw 14 unprovoked bites in 2024, which accounted for half of the country’s reported cases.
Of the nearly 1,000 cases reported in the state since 1882, more than a third have occurred in Volusia County, which encompasses communities such as Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach.
Dr. Jim Gelsleichter, a professor at the University of North Florida and global shark endocrinology expert, previously commented on the number of annual attacks and said while the number appears alarming, a bite is still considered to be rare.
"Increased amounts of visitors to the beaches in the summer months, combined with shark populations being at seasonal highs and sharks swimming closer to the shores to chase bait fish, can result in more shark attacks than in winter months but bites typically aren’t fatal," Gelsleichter stated in a news release.
The last reported fatal shark attack in Florida happened in 2010 when a kiteboarder was attacked by marine life while off the coast of Stuart Beach, along the Treasure Coast.
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission always advises swimmers and surfers to avoid being in the water during twilight hours when sharks are most active.
Beachgoers are also advised not to enter the water if they have an open wound or are wearing shiny jewelry, as both can attract sharks.
Many beach lifeguards employ the use of purple flags to indicate the presence of dangerous marine life such as jellyfish, stingrays or sharks.