Elderly man victim of shark attack

RALEIGH: Yet another shark attack occurred on Wednesday afternoon (early yesterday morning, Thai time) in North Carolina’s Outer Banks — the state’s seventh this year — as beachgoers in the eastern US confront a surprising surge of attacks.

Just one or two shark attacks typically occur in North Carolina each year. Nationwide, the number is usually 30 to 40, according to data from the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida.

Wednesday’s attack on Ocracoke Island was the 24th this year in the US

The victim, a 68-year-old man, was pulled underwater by a 2.5m grey shark but was able to swim to shore despite bites on his rib cage, hip, lower leg and hands, according to a release from Hyde County, which is part of the Outer Banks.

He was swimming about 10m offshore in waist-deep water with his adult son when the attack occurred, WCNC-TV reported. It was the third attack along the Carolina coast in the past week.

The surge in attacks — slightly above average for the year — is raising concerns about the Independence Day holiday weekend. “I can almost guarantee there’ll be a bite or two this weekend,” said George Burgess, the director of the Shark Attack File.

Hyde County said it will have two ambulances with paramedic level service available with a third on call for the July 4 weekend. Many of the attacks this year have occurred farther north than usual, Mr Burgess said. South Carolina has also seen its share of attacks — three so far, he added.