While marine creatures paint a bewildering picture to the naked eye with their innate structures and out-of-the-world features, a shark by no means is pretty. Evidently, shark attacks, even close to the shore, are not an uncommon occurrence, and every now and then, deaths due to shark attacks make headlines in our newspapers. While most coastal areas have developed stringent protocols for shark safety, no solid prediction on when a shark might attack can be established. They are not creatures of habit but of impulse. This factor puts the lives of surfers in danger, in the sense that even if they are surfing close to the shore, they may be the victim of a shark attack.
People report a similar incident, the second in its kind in two weeks, via reports by the Pacifica Police Department. A 52-year-old surfer may have been bit on his lower leg by a shark while surfing off the coast of Linda Mar Beach on Friday. According to department reports, the victim was able to reach the shore and get away from the water, calling for help at 3:45 p.m. People reported that Pacifica Police, the North County Fire Authority, and paramedics with AMR responded to the scene to treat the “an injury to his lower leg.”
A picture taken by witness Evan Barbarick and shared by FOX affiliate KTVU-TV depicts the injury that shows a bloody large gash on the lower portion of his left calf, right where the shark reportedly sunk its tooth through his wetsuit to puncture the skin. According to information pointed out by the police and acquired by People, the 52-year-old surfer “could not confirm if it was a shark” because he “could not see what bit his leg” at the time of the attack. He was immediately transferred to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, reported via People.
Another piece of information acquired by People indicates a statement by Barbarick, who said he was surfing near the scene of the accident with his friend when he heard the victim scream. (procured via KTVU-TV). Thereafter, Barbarick added that the victim announced that he was bit hard on his leg by something underneath the water while he was surfing. Barbarick added in his statement about the incident that after the victim alerted them about the bite, they rushed back to the shore, and it became clear that he “had a pretty good-looking bite around the side of his leg.” The picture taken by him and shown to KTVU-TV showed a several-inch long cut with blood trickling down.
Authorities shared with People that this was possibly the second alleged shark attack in two weeks around the California Coast. The earlier case was reported by The Los Angeles Times and NBC affiliate KNTV, Felix Louis N’jai, 52, disappeared on Oct. 1 after a suspected shark attack off Wildcat Beach on the Point Reyes National Seashore.
Stricter protocols and authorities must be placed in shark-prone areas for a quick response system when such incidents take place. Additionally, shark protection tutorials should be given to surfers to ensure they know what to do when such a situation arises.