A Massachusetts man was bitten by a shark last week and suffered puncture wounds. It was the first shark attack on a human in the area since 2012.
The incident happened at Cape Cod last August 15. According to Cape Cod park officials, the victim was standing in the water around 30 yards from the shore when the event happened. The location of the attack was 300 yards south of Longnook Beach in Truro within the Cape Cod National Seashore.
According to Truro assistant harbormaster Gary Sharpless, the victim was identified as 61-year-old male. Truro police would not release the name or hometown of the victim.
As of writing, the beach has been closed until further notice and signs reading “Danger, No Swimming” have been put up.
The area where the attack happened is a known feeding ground for seals. The seals, in turn, draw in the sharks. According to witnesses, no less than 10 seals were spotted in the area before the incident happened.
The man was immediately provided initial treatment by local emergency service personnel on the beach before he was transported by helicopter to Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
The shark inflicted deep puncture wounds to the victim’s torso and leg. According to Truro Fire Chief Tim Collins, the man was conscious and was able to respond verbally.
In recent years, an increase in shark attacks has been noted in the west coast, particularly in North Carolina.
In June of this year, three Great White sharks have been tracked along the North Carolina coast, while bull sharks have made the Pamlico Sound their regular breeding grounds– hundreds of miles north of their usual breeding spot in Florida.
As for Cape Cod, the last known shark attack in Truro happened more than six years ago. In July of 2012, Denver resident Christopher Myers was at Ballston Beach with his son when a shark bit his leg. The incident left him with deep gauges and torn tendons, but he survived.
The last fatal shark attack in Massachusetts happened in 1936.
If you find yourself in the water with a shark, experts recommend striking the shark’s vulnerable parts like its eyes and gills. For more details about deadly sharks and how to avoid getting bitten, read this article from American Survival Guide.