Tuesday, June 28, 2005

INJURED - 27 June 2005 - Cape San Blas, Florida, US - fisherman attacked

A 16-year-old boy, Craig Hutto, was attacked by a shark while fishing from a sandbar about 50 metres offshore of a sandspit at Cape San Blas on the Florida panhandle in the United States.

The attack, which took place about 10.30am local time on Monday 27 June, is the second shark attack in three days on the Florida panhandle. A 14-year-old girl was killed by a shark on Saturday 25 June near Destin about 130 kilometres northwest of Cape San Blas.

The boy was fishing in waist-deep water with two friends when the shark bit him on the right thigh, nearly severing his leg.

The three fought the shark off the boy, hitting it on the nose several times. Hutto was pulled ashore by his friends and a doctor who happened to be nearby began treatment before he was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City by helicopter.

A hospital spokesperson told media his leg was amputated and he was listed in critical condition, but expected to recover.

Eric Ritter of the US-based Shark Attack Institute told media it was unlikely that the two attacks were by the same shark.

Experts with the US-based International Shark Attack File (ISAF) pointed out that this attacked was provoked as the boys were baiting the water to catch fish, while the attack on the girl two days earlier was unprovoked as she was merely swimming on her boogie board.

Florida is considered the world's shark attack capital with an average of 32 attacks a year between 2000 and 2004, according to the ISAF.

USA Today report

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