Woman Bitten By Shark Off Cocoa Beach, Florida

Categories: Shark

Woman Bitten By Shark Off Cocoa Beach, Florida

Brevard Times file photo.

COCOA BEACH, Florida – A 28-year-old woman was bitten by a shark in the ocean off of Cocoa Beach, Florida on Sunday afternoon.

The shark bite occurred near 11th Street South just after 2 p.m. According to Brevard County Fire Rescue, the woman suffered injuries consistent with a “toothy sea creature” on her lower leg. Fire rescue crews who responded to the scene issued a trauma alert and the woman was transported by ambulance to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Florida.

Shark sightings continued in Cocoa Beach throughout the day after the incident which prompted lifeguards to fly red flags at their towers for a brief amount of time after each sighting.

Florida holds the dubious title of having more shark attacks than any other state in the United States. Volusia County and Brevard County on Central Florida’s east coast have the most shark attaccks than any other counties in the Sunshine State.

Signs of sharks in the water: In addition to spotting the telltale shark fins, fish jumping out of water or sea birds hovering at the surface of the water could indicate the presence of feeding sharks. Swim near a lifeguard area (their elevated position on a lifeguard tower is better for shark spotting) and pay attention to warning flags.

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2954.0583201064474!2d-80.61028553171906!3d28.29871271447369!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88de1ce090f2d577%3A0xdd63c1d176e7cf30!2sS+11th+St%2C+Cocoa+Beach%2C+FL+32931!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1446418114146&w=600&h=450]