Latest news with #WESH
CBS News
2 days ago
- CBS News
Surf instructor yanked off board, bitten by shark off Florida beach
An 18-year-old surf instructor was rushed to the hospital on Friday after he was attacked by a shark at a Florida beach. Sam Hollis said he was bitten on his foot while surfing off New Smyrna Beach, about 60 miles northeast of Orlando. He told NBC affiliate WESH about his frightening experience. Hollis said he was instructing when a big wave washed over him. He said he got back on his board, letting his feet hang in the water, when he was attacked. "It just grabbed me by my foot and just yanked me off my board and was like, yeah, I'm having you for a little snack man. And then I was like having none of that so I kicked it." Hollis said. Hollis said the kick knocked the shark away from his body, and he was able to swim away. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated for bite marks on his foot. "So this is what it feels like. I was like, this is what feeling attacked by a shark feels like," he said. Hollis said he's been around the water since he was a little kid and knows the risks that come with surfing. "There's no reason to stop doing something you love just because something bad happened to you," he said. He said as soon as he recovers, he'll be back out on the water. "That's the first thing I want, to get back out to doing because I think it's important to not let something like this dictate doing things that you love," Hollis said. This is the third reported shark encounter off the coast of New Smyrna Beach in just over a month. A surfer said an airborne spinner shark knocked him off his board in June. In July, another surfer was bitten on the arm by a shark, saying he "felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere." New Smyrna Beach is known as the "Shark Bite Capital of the World." It's been the site of more than 300 shark attacks since the 1980s, according to the International Shark Attack File in Gainesville.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Shark bites surfer at Florida's Volusia County beach: Why is it called the ‘shark bite capital of the world'?
A surf instructor was bitten on the foot by a shark at New Smyrna Beach, Florida, marking the fourth shark encounter in Volusia County this year. The incident occurred around noon, resulting in a 'nasty' but non-life-threatening injury. New Smyrna Beach is known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World' due to its high number of unprovoked shark attacks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Emergency vehicles rushed to the scene Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Why Volusia County is a hotspot for Shark bites A surfer suffered a 'nasty' injury after a shark bit him on the foot in Florida's New Smyrna Beach on Friday, July 18, 2025. The bite marked the fourth shark encounter in Volusia County. The injury, however, was not a life-threatening one. An 18-year-old was surfing on the beach, also known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World.' It's in a Florida city notorious for shark encounters, where the incident took unidentified teen, a surf instructor, according to local NBC affiliate WESH, was at New Smyrna Beach around 12 PM (local time) on July 18, 2025, when the encounter took place, Tamra Malphurs, director of the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, told local outlet FOX the shark bite incident, the surf instructor was rushed to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Malphurs told FOX 35. The surfer's boss described the injury as 'nasty,' according to WESH. An anonymous eyewitness suggested that several first responders arrived on the scene of the attack, according to PEOPLE. This marks the fourth shark encounter in Florida's Volusia County so far this year, according to the county emergency vehicles and a police car arrived 'pretty quickly' after the surfer was bitten, the bystander told WESH. 'And some of the instructors came and got the lifeguard on the stand here and down.'New Smyrna Beach, a surfing hub south of Daytona Beach, is widely known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World,' according to WESH and The Daytona Beach than two weeks before the July 18 attack, a man identified as Matthew Bender was bitten by a shark while surfing in the Florida city, per FOX 35."I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," Bender told the outlet of the attack, which took place on July 6. 'By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity and like extreme pressure.'"And then I think it shook its head. I definitely felt that as it was letting go,' added Bender. 'It was also fast.'There have been 359 'unprovoked' shark attacks recorded in Volusia County since 1882, the most of any Florida county, according to the International Shark Attack File, the Florida Museum of Natural History's database. The next highest is Brevard County, with County 'is conducive toward shark bites' due to a 'confluence of factors,' Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's Florida Program for Shark Research, previously told The Daytona Beach that there are also environmental factors like the nutrients in the region, Naylor told the newspaper in 2024, 'You need a bunch of sharks, and they need to be in the mood to bite things, and you need a bunch of people in the same area at the same time.'Sharks like blacktips and spinner sharks, which are also found in the area, 'are highly piscivorous,' the evolutionary biologist told The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Naylor further explained that their diet typically consists of fish, so when they bite a person, the reaction of the injured individual scares them away. 'If they were bull sharks or tiger sharks,' Naylor said, 'they might stick around a little bit more, and the injuries would be a lot worse.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Shark Attacks Surfer, 18, at Florida Beach Known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World'
The surf instructor's foot injury marks the fourth shark bite at New Smyrna beach this yearNEED TO KNOW A shark bit a surf instructor on the foot in Florida's New Smyrna Beach, which also known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World," on July 18 The 18-year-old surfer suffered a "nasty" but not life-threatening injury The bite marked the fourth shark encounter in Volusia County in 2025An 18-year-old was surfing in a Florida city notorious for shark encounters when one sunk its teeth into his foot. The unidentified teen — a surf instructor, according to local NBC affiliate WESH — was at New Smyrna Beach around 12 p.m. local time on Friday, July 18, when the encounter occurred, Tamra Malphurs, director of the Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue, told local outlet FOX 35. (The Daytona Beach News-Journal and local ABC affiliate WFTV also reported the news.) After the shark bit his foot, the surf instructor was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, Malphurs told FOX 35. The surfer's boss described the injury as 'nasty,' according to WESH. Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, July 19. According to an anonymous eyewitness, several first responders arrived on the scene of the attack, which marks the fourth shark encounter in Florida's Volusia County so far this year, according to the county website. Two emergency vehicles and a police car 'came pretty quickly' after the surfer was bitten, the bystander told WESH. 'And some of the instructors came and got the lifeguard on the stand here and down.' New Smyrna Beach, a surfing hub south of Daytona Beach, is widely known as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World,' according to WESH and The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Less than two weeks before the July 18 attack, a man identified as Matthew Bender was bitten by a shark while surfing in the Florida city, per FOX 35. "I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," Bender told the outlet of the attack, which took place on July 6. 'By the time I looked down, it was already gone. I never saw the shark, but it bit really forcefully. It felt like electricity and like extreme pressure.' "And then I think it shook its head. I definitely felt that as it was letting go,' added Bender. ' It was also fast.' There have been 359 'unprovoked' shark attacks recorded in Volusia County since 1882, the most of any Florida county, according to the International Shark Attack File, the Florida Museum of Natural History's database. The next highest is Brevard County, with 159. Volusia County 'is conducive toward shark bites' due to a 'confluence of factors,' Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Museum of Natural History's Florida Program for Shark Research, previously told The Daytona Beach News-Journal. 'You need a bunch of sharks, and they need to be in the mood to bite things, and you need a bunch of people in the same area at the same time,' Naylor told the newspaper in 2024, explaining that there are also environmental factors, like the nutrients in the area. is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Though the species of shark behind the recent Volusia County bites is unknown, blacktip sharks are responsible for most of the bites in the region, according to Naylor. Sharks like blacktips and spinner sharks, which are also found in the area, 'are highly piscivorous,' the evolutionary biologist told The Daytona Beach News-Journal, detailing that their diet typically consists of fish, so when they bite a person, the injured individual's reaction scares them away. 'If they were bull sharks or tiger sharks,' Naylor said, 'they might stick around a little bit more, and the injuries would be a lot worse.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Rare flesh-eating bacteria kills at least four people in Florida
A flesh-eating bacteria has infected at least 11 people so far and has killed five people in Florida, USA. Patients can die within two days of becoming infected Holidaymakers have been issued a warning after four-people were killed by a rare flesh-eating bacteria. Health officials in the United States have addressed the devastating affects of picking up the deadly bacteria, which can often be found in warm saltwater. So far, 11 people have been infected by the bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus in recent months in Florida. Patients who become struck by the bacteria can die within two days of becoming infected. Even if the infection doesn't prove fatal, patients may need to undergo amputation or be placed in intensive care. The state's health department said the bacteria has been detected across central Florida's Bay, Broward, Hillsborough and St Johns counties. Dr Daniel Egan, an infectious disease specialist at Orlando Health, explained why the bacteria can be found in certain conditions. He told WESH: 'There's a lot of bacteria that just live in different areas, even in, like, waterborne spots.' He added: 'So there's fresh water, salt water, and this bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus likes salt water.' The death rate of the infection stands at 20% overall, yet it can reach up to a staggering 50% if Vibrio vulnificus enters the bloodstream, reports Express. The often fatal bacteria can cause necrotising fasciitis, which is an infection causing flesh around an open wound to die - often leading to amputation of the limb. Those who are healthy can recover, yet people with long-standing conditions or weakened immune systems are at a greater risk of serious complications. Vibrio vulnificus occurs naturally and thrives in warm seawater and other saltwater environments such as rivers. The bacterium is typically most active between May and October when waters are warmest. Between 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections are reported to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year, yet cases have surged in recent years. In 2024, reports of the bacterium reached a record high, with the CDC logging 19 deaths and 82 infections which is nearly double from the year prior. The huge increase followed Hurricanes Milton and Helene as floodwaters pushed the warm saltwater further inland. Dr Kami Kim, the director of infectious disease at Tampa General Hospital, told WUSF media: 'There are people running around, lifting, moving stuff that normally they wouldn't do, so the probability of getting that cut or exposure is higher.' By 2090, the US Department of Agriculture predicts that the total cost of infections from bacteria such as Vibrio vulnificus will reach £4,540,358.10 annually. Symptoms to look out for Vomiting Diarrhoea Fever Chills Elevated heart rate Disorientation
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Florida Surfer Recovering After Being Attacked by Shark in 'Shark Bite Capital of the World'
A Florida surfer is recovering at a local hospital after his left arm was bitten by a shark on Sunday, July 6 Matthew Bender told a local news outlet that it felt like "electricity" running through his body when the shark attacked him at New Smyrna Beach in Volusia County "I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere," recalled the surfer, who still plans to return to the waterA Florida man has been hospitalized after he was attacked by a shark in what is known as the "shark bite capital of the world." Matthew Bender, of Winter Park, was bitten by a shark on Sunday, July 6 while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, according to FOX affiliate WOFL. Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue said the 40-year-old was bitten around 3 p.m. local time, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel and NBC affiliate WESH. Bender told WOFL he 'never saw the shark,' which bit his left arm 'forcefully,' leaving it severely injured from his thumb to his elbow. He said the bite 'felt like electricity.' "I felt it clamp down like a bear trap out of nowhere. By the time I looked down, it was already gone,' Bender recalled. He thought the shark 'shook its head' before letting go, adding, 'It was also fast." Nearby surfers and lifeguards rushed to Bender's aid, according to the surfer. He said one of the surfers used a surfboard leash to create a tourniquet. The surfer was transported to a hospital after the bite, according to WESH and the Sun Sentinel. Bender said he underwent emergency surgery to repair muscles, tendons, and nerves that were injured in the attack, WOFL reported. He said, "It's a miracle my hand is still working fine." "I think the Lord kept it from being serious. I mean, he works in mysterious ways,' the surfer told the news outlet. But Bender does not plan to let the shark attack stop him from getting back out in the water. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'For some reason, I got to take a little break, but I'll be back out there," he told WOFL. "I'm a New Smyrna surfer at heart, and it's not going to end now just because of this." Volusia County officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Volusia County is considered the unofficial 'shark bite capital of the world,' according to the International Shark Attack File in Gainesville. There were eight shark bites reported in the county in 2024, more than half of the 14 reported in Florida that same year, according to statistics. Read the original article on People
