In a rare sequence of events, three people were seriously injured in shark attacks on two Florida beaches within just ninety minutes.
On Friday, the Walton District Fire Department reported that the attacks took place at Inlet Beach and Seacrest Beach in Florida, approximately six kilometers apart.
Details of the Attacks
The first incident involved a 45-year-old woman who was bitten by a shark near Inlet Beach while swimming with her husband in the early afternoon. She sustained serious injuries to her upper body and left arm and is currently in critical condition.
Just an hour and a half later, before a swimming ban could be enforced, two teenage girls, aged between 15 and 17, were attacked near Seacrest Beach. One of the girls is also in critical condition, according to Fire Chief Ryan Crawford.
An Unusual Occurrence
The fact that these incidents happened in such quick succession is "extremely unusual," Crawford stressed, as reported by Kurier.
He noted that while shark attacks are rare, entering the ocean means entering the sharks' natural habitat. "Unfortunately, when you go into their habitat, such things can happen," he said.
Authorities are investigating whether there is a specific reason behind these unusual attacks. The types of sharks involved have not yet been identified.
The last major shark attacks in this region occurred in 2021 and 2005, the latter resulting in the death of a 14-year-old.
Despite the recent incidents, experts continue to emphasize that the likelihood of being bitten by a shark is very low.
According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) from the University of Florida, there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks globally last year, with ten resulting in fatalities.
Most of these attacks occurred in the United States and Australia.
