A 19-year-old surfer was bitten on the foot by a shark off Ocean Isle Beach on Monday afternoon.
Rescuers got the call about 2 p.m. at the beach town in southern North Carolina.
Austin Reed’s family told WCOS TV that the bite was deep, but the surfer won’t lose his foot and plans to be back in the ocean soon. He should be released from the hospital in the next few days.
The incident is the second shark attack in North Carolina this month. On June 2, 17-year-old Paige Winter had to have her leg amputated after a shark attack off Fort Macon State Park. Paige is recovering and in good spirits, her family says.
On a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses, Paige’s father wrote “she wants everyone to know that sharks are still good people.”
Since 1935, there have been 65 unprovoked shark attacks in North Carolina and 10 along the Outer Banks — eight in Dare County and two in Currituck, according to the International Shark Attack File headed up in Florida. Shark attacks are extremely rare, but the ISAF does offer up tips for reducing your risk here.
