Posted on 06/27/2005 9:53:30 PM PDT by phoenix_004
A boy fishing in waist-deep water yesterday was bitten and critically injured in the second shark attack on a teenager along the Florida Panhandle in three days.
Craig A. Hutto, 16, of Lebanon, Tenn., was taken to Bay Medical Center in Panama City, where his leg was amputated. He was listed in critical condition but was expected to recover, said hospital spokeswoman Christa Hild.
The boy was attacked off Cape San Blas, a popular vacation destination about 80 miles southeast of the Destin area, where Jamie Marie Daigle, 14, of Gonzales, La., was killed by a shark Saturday.
The boy was fishing with two friends when the shark bit him in the right thigh, nearly severing his leg, Gulf County Sheriff's Capt. Bobby Plair said.
The three then tried to wrestle the shark off the boy, hitting it in the nose several times. The teen was pulled ashore by his friends, and a doctor who happened to be nearby began treatment before the boy was taken to the hospital, Plair said.
"It got the main arteries in the right leg," Plair said, adding that the boy lost a large amount of blood. The shark was about 6 to 8 feet long, Plair said, citing witnesses.
Gulf County has no lifeguards on any of its beaches, he said. Officials closed the county's beaches until late this morning.
Erich Ritter, chief scientist for the global shark attack file at the Shark Research Institute of Princeton University, said the girl was probably attacked by a 6-foot bull shark, based on measurements of the bite wound. "There's not even a remote chance that this is the same shark," Ritter said of yesterday's attack on the boy.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Great, makes me feel safe, not a chance that it is the same shark. What he really means is that there are more than one that are attacking out there.
Oh my g-d!, It's global warming!
That saved his life.
A bull shark swims in the waters near visitors to Mimamar Beach, Fla. Sunday, June 25, 2005, one day after a bull shark attacked a 14-year-old girl. This sighting is less than a quarter mile from Saturday's attack site. (AP Photo/Jason C. Miller)
Marine hunters need to rally down there and do some serious shark population downsizing, and quick.
Shark is good meat. They can send me some when they are done.
I saw his picture as they were loading him into the ambulance. His face was as white as a sheet. He must have lost a lot of blood. I hope he makes it. Poor kid. Prayers go out for him.
People returned to the beach in Destin, Fla., Sunday, June 26, 2005, one day after a shark killed a 14-year-old Louisiana girl. Extra lifeguards staffed by the sheriff's beach patrol officers were added along the Florida Panhandle coast. According to statistics compiled by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History, Florida averaged more than 30 shark attacks a year from 2000 to 2003, but there were only 12 attacks off the state's coast last year. (AP Photo/Mari Darr~Welch)
I was tempted to post a *.gif image of a shark fin going back and forth. Also considered embedding a brief sound clip from 'Jaws.' But that would be too much work. Besides, I really feel sorry for this young boy. Florida is going to catch hell this year. More hurricanes and now shark attacks. The Keys are really beautiful but I have decided against going there for vacation.
Craig Hutto, 16, was attacked while fishing in waist-deep water in the waters near Cape San Blas, which is about 40 miles southeast of Panama City Beach.
Hutto is a sophomore at Lebanon High School and plays for the school’s basketball team.
Hutto was fishing on a sandbar with his older brother, Brian Hutto, about 50 yards from shore when the shark attacked him.
He was taken to a nearby hospital and then flown to Bay Medical Center in Panama City.
Hutto underwent surgery and was "stabilized," hospital spokeswoman Christa Hild said. Doctors amputated his right leg, The Associated Press reported, and he was placed in the hospital's intensive care unit.
I would have thought waist-deep water was fairly safe from sharks. This is like a horror movie.
I admire his friends' courage for beating the shark off him.
The press forgot to quote the shark expert who also said yesterday...
That there was no way this shark 'mistook' the human
for baitfish...it was looking for human prey...
These sharks have developed a taste for human flesh..
Many people don't realize that we in Fla. have more land/sea exposure than any other state - thousands of miles. Considering the millions who bathe year round the
odds of a shark attack are infintesimal. If you want to read a great book about shark attacks get "Twelve Days of Terror" by Richard Fernicola, M.D. It's about five people who were attacked in NJ (four of whom died) in 1916 and gives alot of information about shark behaviour. Some of
those attacked were in fresh water that connected to the ocean which leads many to believe it was a bull shark which can survive in both fresh and salt water. It's a great read,exciting and educational.
I love the Keys. Don't let sharks keep you from that beautiful area. Sharks have always been there and always will be. Just listen to the locals. They know what they are talking about. Ask them where they swim and fish. LISTEN TO THE LOCALS.
Besides, just sit on the beach and look beautiful/handsome in the sun and soak up the wonderful fresh air. Stick your toes in the water and splash a little salt water on you. They'll never know the difference. lol!
My father-in-law has a sailboat in that area. We have seen alligators (yes, alligators on a sandbar), sharks, dolphin, etc. One of the DUMBEST things that I have ever done is swim with the dolphins in open water. Sharks follow them everywhere! It gives me chills just thinking about it now. DUMB, DUMB, DUMB!
More than Alaska????
Remember the USS Indianapolis. Eat more shark! It's good for you and keeps the beaches safer.
DON'T SWIM WHEN THERE IS BAIT FISH PRESENT!
Each incident, the sharks were feeding. Poor kids.
I agree. I don't swim where people are fishing and it really irritates me when people bring their fishing boats up close to the shore where people are swimming.
One day a friend of mine was at the beach and someone decided he was going to go fishing near her and her kids. He threw his line in the water and immediately got a bite. He pulled in a baby hammerhead. They packed up and left.
My heart goes out to this kid.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.