Woman injured in suspected shark attack while swimming at popular summer vacation destination
A woman suffered a leg injury while swimming off Martha’s Vineyard in what authorities suspect was a shark attack.
FILE: Hundreds of sharks swim near shallow waters off North Carolina coast
Waters off the coast of North Carolina were teeming with sharks on Saturday, after drone video captured what appears to be hundreds of sharks in shallow waters near the beach.
THE TAKEAWAY
- A woman was injured in a suspected shark encounter off Martha’s Vineyard.
- Swimming was temporarily suspended as a precaution following the incident.
- No shark or other marine animal was seen or confirmed.
EDGARTOWN, Mass. – A woman suffered a leg injury while swimming off Martha’s Vineyard in what authorities suspect was a shark attack.
A woman in her mid-20s sustained wounds consistent with a marine-animal bite, possibly from a shark, while swimming at South Beach at Norton Point around 1:40 p.m. Monday, according to the Town of Edgartown.
An aerial view of the eroding shoreline at Chappaquiddick Island near Wasque Point. A view of the Norton Beach break, a big hole punched through the barrier beach adjacent to Wasque. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Image)
Although no shark or other marine animal was seen or confirmed, the nature of the injuries pointed to the predator made famously feared by Jaws — a film shot on Martha’s Vineyard decades ago.
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The woman’s injuries were not life-threatening and did not involve the loss of a limb. She was transported to a hospital after receiving immediate care from local first responders, officials said.
American actor Roy Scheider on the set of Jaws, directed by Steven Spielberg. Martha’s Vineyard, including South Beach, Joseph Sylvia State Beach, Edgartown and the iconic "Jaws Bridge," served as filming locations for Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster Jaws. (Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images / Getty Images)
In accordance with Edgartown’s shark protocol, swimming at South Beach was suspended for several hours as a precaution following the suspected shark encounter.
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"The Town appreciates the prompt response of emergency personnel and beach staff," Town Administrator James M. Hagerty said in a press release. "Beachgoers are reminded to remain aware of their surroundings while in the water and to comply with instructions from lifeguards and any posted beach advisories."
A great white shark swims off the coast of Chatham, Massachusetts on July 21, 2024. Sharks come to Cape Cod every summer to feed on the abundant seal population that lives there, especially in Chatham where there is a large seal population. (JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Massachusetts is no stranger to sharks, but sightings and research have been concentrated primarily around Cape Cod, where great white sharks are seasonal residents, according to the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.
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The species is also known to travel through waters around Martha’s Vineyard and the other islands, making the suspected encounter at South Beach notable.