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New York Post
08-07-2025
- New York Post
Florida surfer attacked in ‘Shark Bite Capital of the World'
A surfer was attacked by a shark on Sunday at a Florida beach aptly nicknamed the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World.' Matt Bender, a 40-year-old from Winter Park, was bitten on his right forearm while surfing on New Smyrna Beach around 3 p.m., Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is on the mend, his friends said. Advertisement 3 Matt Bender, 40, was bitten on the forearm by a shark at New Smyrna Beach — which was named the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World' last year. WFTV9 'His hand was NOT bitten off — he's doing good considering, but he was injured and needs our support and prayers right now,' the friends wrote on Facebook. It's unclear what kind of shark attacked Bender, but spinner sharks, black tip sharks and deadly bull sharks have been spotted frequenting the popular coastal hotspot. Advertisement 3 New Smyrna Beach is known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World.' NSBInlet/Instagram The beach, an inlet northeast of Orlando, is often crawling with sharks, but surfers are usually unperturbed and seek out the spot for its consistent waves. In 2024, New Smyrna Beach was named the shark attack capital of the world by the International Shark Attack File, which logged a staggering 361 unprovoked assaults since 1837. Between 2010 and 2024, the beach also reported 12 surf fatalities. Advertisement In June, researchers at Tideschart also concluded that the Florida beach is the most dangerous in the country, not just because of the sharp-toothed predators, but because it sits in the center of a hurricane alley. 3 There have been 12 surf fatalities at New Smyrna Beach since 2010. NSBInlet/Instagram Bender's gnarly attack marks the second shark-related encounter at New Smyrna Beach in the past month as summer kicks into full gear. Darren Kaye, a surfer who frequents the beach, knew he had to be attentive and check the waters while he was out catching waves. He never anticipated he'd have to check the sky above him until a spinner shark headbutted him. Advertisement 'I was just really happy its mouth wasn't open,' he said, noting that he wasn't going to let the incident deter him from the sea. In late June, a newlywed couple at the beach had their honeymoon cut short after the man was killed after being struck by a bolt of lightning in broad daylight. The same strike also indirectly hit two bystanders who were treated at the scene.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Florida Man Gets Headbutted by Shark While Surfing in Dramatic Footage: ‘Felt Like Getting Hit by a Car'
A Florida man was captured being hit by an airborne shark at New Smyrna Beach in Florida Darren Kaye was surfing when a spinner shark jumped out of the water and knocked him off his surfboard "It felt like getting hit by a car," Kaye told WFTV 9A surfer from Florida had an unexpected encounter with an airborne shark. In a video shared on social media, Darren Kaye was captured surfing in the waters of New Smyrna Beach in Florida when he was headbutted by the large fish. 'A spinner shark jumps out of the water and hits Florida Man sitting on his surfboard! #nsbinlet video: @dj_kaye_,' the caption read on a joint Instagram post between Kaye and NSB Inlet. Spinner sharks are known for "spinning in the air" while trying to find food and can reach 20 feet above the water's surface, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History. 'I was just really happy its mouth wasn't open cause that's how they fish,' Kaye, who was knocked off his surfboard after the impact, told local media outlet WFTV 9. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. According to the outlet, the surfer had previously seen sharks at the beach and had even witnessed other people sustain shark bites. However, he never expected to be hit by a shark jumping out of the water. 'I got right back on that board and my pulse went to like 195 beats per minute in a second and I paddled as fast as I could like out of the way,' he said. Kaye went on to compare the moment to when he was previously hit by a car. 'I have a scar and that's like what it felt like. It felt like getting hit by a car. It was really strong and powerful. They're all muscle, you know,' he said. Despite the unexpected encounter, Kaye hasn't been put off from surfing at New Smyrna Beach. The surfer revealed that he continued to surf there throughout the weekend and beyond. 'We always have waves, so we're lucky,' he told the outlet. Read the original article on People
