14-Year-Old Girl Dies in Fla. Shark Attack

AP ^ | 6/25/05

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

A 14-year-old girl died Saturday after a shark attacked her while she and a companion were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, authorities said.

The teenagers were swimming on boogie boards about 100 yards offshore when they noticed a dark shadow in the water, authorities said.

"One of the swimmers was bitten. It was the lower portions of her body," said Walton County Sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Shank. The other swimmer was not injured.

Both girls swam to shore, and the victim was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, Shank said. The girl was on vacation from Louisiana, but her name was not immediately released.

The attack happened near the Camping on the Gulf Holiday Travel Park, about 45 miles east of Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle.

Patrick O'Neill, the campground's general manager, refused to comment.

Authorities closed about 20 miles of beaches to swimming shortly after the attack. It's the height of the summer tourism season along the coast and the beaches were packed with people.

"This doesn't happen very often at all — very, very seldom," said Mike McKee, front desk supervisor at the nearby Hilton Sandestin Beach Resort and Spa.

Florida had the largest number of documented shark attacks worldwide in 2003 with 30, according to statistics compiled by the American Elasmobranch Society and the Florida Museum of Natural History. There were 12 attacks off the coast of Florida last year.

[TBall]

I thought 2001 was a bizarre year for shark attacks. Most definitely the fatality in Sand Bridge, Va. and the next day the one in Nags Head, NC. A couple of weeks later no one was thinking about sharks, at least not in the literal since.

[Pharmboy]

They were on boogie boards...I guess it depends where the waves were breaking. That being said, 2 and a half football fields DOES seem a bit far...

[R.W.Ratikal]

It's becomming more obvious that we should swim only in hotel swimming pools in Flordia. Shark attacks are simply too common to take a chance.

[prisoner6]

Haven't read it but it looks very interesting! Could be a cool late summer read when I plan o tqakning Wife and Number 2 Son to the beach for a late vacation...hehehehe!

Thanks, I'm gonna check this baby out!

prisoner6

[R.W.Ratikal]

It's becomming more obvious that we should swim only in hotel swimming pools in Flordia. Shark attacks are simply too common to take a chance.

[krunkygirl]

Wasn't the little boy (8-10 years old) who was attacked about 2 years ago (and survived, but just barely) in this save general location?

[prisoner6]

LOL! Yeah, I tend to NOT trust animals that are bigger than I am.

Just one of the reasons I defer to Wife...sigh

prisoner6

[beckybea]

I live in Walton County and see sharks fairly often. On a calm day, you can walk
way out in the water so 200 yards is not uncommon. Today the Gulf is very, very calm. The water is shallow and you don't realize how far out you are until you look back at the shore.

Two weeks ago, we saw two large sharks swim by about 10 feet from the shoreline. Scary.

[elfman2]

I agree, after growing up near Galveston and then moving to California and Florida. But even ugly beaches are great fun!

[elfman2]

I used to run down Venice Beach CA and saw scenes like that several times. I think it’s a game to Dolphins

[elfman2]

" It's becomming more obvious that we should swim only in hotel swimming pools in Flordia. Shark attacks are simply too common to take a chance."

You have a better chance of dying in your sleep tonight.

[StarCMC]

45 miles east of Pensacola on the Florida Panhandle

Isn't this Ft. Walton/Destin area?? Pensacola Beach has had fairly recent shark attacks IIRC.

[valleygal]

We were just there for vacation...Ft. Walton (Okaloosa Island) and Destin. Used to live there. We went out about 30-40 feet, I'm too chicken to go out farter (or let my kids out ther....

Very sad. Prayers fo the family.

[blackbart.223]

"My biggest fear is a bear attacking although sharks are in close second with gators third, and most likely given where I live, and rattlesnakes fourth.

I've killed a few of those in my yard.Still I don't fear them.

P.S. They are tasty if you cook them the right way.

[KDD]

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/sharks/LCS_SCS_quota_adjustment_FaxNotice.pdf

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/hmsdocuments.html#shark

Blame the Feds.

They have limited the commercial taking of shark in the Gulf to 60 days a year on average. The shark population is getting huge.

[StarCMC]

Man that's beautiful!! I love the Gulf Coast of FL!

[technochick99]

I think I would die of fright. I was in Dorado, Puerto Rico last week, and stayed on the Atlantic side. Luckily, the resort had big boulders up to break the waves, and to simulate the beaches of the Caribbean side. However, these 3 flat headed fish with big eyes that were about 7 incheslong insisted on ramming into my boyfriend's legs.

I thought he was kidding until he brought them to me (they were following him) and one hit me. I almost jumped out of the water. Luckily, the rocks were such that only tiny fish could get in. Another person told us that the tiny fish around were sardines.

I don't know if these were baby sharks, but they were intensely creepy.

[budwiesest]

On a calm day, you can walk way out in the water so 200 yards is not uncommon.

Here in Cali, if you go out thirty or fourty feet it'll be over your head and, the water's about 53 degrees.(in some places it's less distance than that)

[beckybea]

Today there is a fishing tournament from SanDestin. Wonder if all those boats, bait, etc., attracted the shark.

[technochick99]

Actually, I left out that there were these blunt headed fish in addition to sardines. We were not being attacked by sardines. And I added in Dorado just before I hit post, which is redundant with 'Atlantic side'.