A single shark is believed to be terrorizing swimmers near a Texas beach, responsible for biting two people and making contact with two others during Fourth of July celebrations, including injuring one who went to help.
The encounters disrupted locals and vacationers relaxing on Thursday at South Padre Island, as two people were taken to the hospital with bites, at least one of them severe, authorities said.
Police were called for the attack on the man who was severely bitten around 11am, according to Nikki Soto, the South Padre Island city secretary. Firefighters and police initially helped the man on the beach, which lies on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, in south Texas, close to the US-Mexico border.
The Texas parks and wildlife department said later in a statement that two people were bitten and two more “encountered” the shark. One was slightly injured when they went to help victims and one reported the shark brushing by them, but neither was seriously hurt, the authorities said.
A Texas department of public safety helicopter flew low over the water to help shoo the shark away, as well as capturing footage.
One of the bite victims was taken to a hospital in Brownsville, and the other was “flown out for further treatment”.
Based on witness reports and images on social media, game warden captain Chris Dowdy said authorities believe a single shark about 6ft long was responsible.
Beach patrol, firefighters and police searched and flew drones afterwards, Soto said. The last reported shark attack in the area was five years ago, Dowdy said.
Nereyda Bazaldua recounted to CNN that daughter Victoria, 18, was only in knee-deep, calm water, boogie boarding, when she and her sister screamed “shark” as the fish “came out of nowhere”.
Then Victoria’s leg was bleeding, Bazaldua told the TV network.
“The shark pushed into her, five to six of his teeth scratched her leg,” Bazaldua told CNN, adding: “The wounds aren’t deep” and that the shark was hanging around afterwards, until it swam away after about 30 minutes.
The Associated Press contributed reporting
