A BEACHGOER has been rushed to the hospital after being bitten by a shark.
The attack occurred on the same stretch of coastline where a 1,600-pound great white shark was recently spotted.
A woman at Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina was bitten at around noon on Tuesday, Shore Beach Service said.
The woman suffered a non-life-threatening injury on her leg, Hilton Head Fire-Rescue told ABC affiliate WJCL.
She was initially treated by lifeguards on the beach, according to the Island Packet.
The woman was then rushed to the Hilton Head Island Airport, where she was airlifted to Savannah, Georgia, for further treatment.
It’s unclear if she’s still in the hospital, and the extent of her injuries are unknown.
It’s unclear what kind of shark bit the beachgoer.
This marks the first likely shark bite during Hilton Head’s busy summer season, Shore Beach Service Director Mike Wagner told the Island Packet.
Three people were bitten at the island last July, according to the beach patrol.
Hilton Head Island, known for its beaches and golf courses, is a popular tourist destination that sees about 2.8 million visitors every year.
The recent incident occurred a few weeks after a significant sighting of a great white shark near Myrtle Beach, another popular coastal destination approximately 200 miles away in South Carolina.
The adult great white shark is nicknamed Contender.
Contender stretches 13 feet and nine inches.
The massive beast weighs 1,643 pounds.
Contender is the largest-ever shark tagged by global nonprofit organization OCEARCH.
Great White Sharks – the facts
Here’s what you need to know…
- The great white shark is a species of the large mackerel shark
- They’re typically found in the costal surface waters of all major oceans
- Great whites are famous for their size
- Females are bigger than males, growing up to 6.1 metres, or 20 feet, in length
- At full maturity, a great white can weigh up to 1,905 kilograms, or 4,200 pounds
- A 2014 study revealed that the lifespan of a great white shark is estimated at 70 years or longer
- Great white sharks can swim at speeds of over 56km/h or 35mph
- And they can swim to depths of 1,200m, or 3,900 feet
- Experts believe that grea whites have no natural predators, other than the killer whale in very rare instances
- Great whites became part of the popular imagination after the 1974 novel Jaws, and the later Steven Spielberg film adaptation
- Humans aren’t the natural prey of great whites, but they’re responsible for the largest number of unprovoked shark attacks on humans
Scientists keep tabs on sharks through trackers that “ping” whenever the shark’s fin breaks through the water’s surface.
Contender was tagged near the Georgia and Florida state line back in January, according to OCEARCH.
Since then, the shark has traveled nearly 1,800 miles.
After several weeks off the grid, Contender surfaced off the Myrtle Beach coast.
However, officials said people don’t need to be scared of Contender as he’s swimming far away from the shore.
OCEARCH’s chief scientist and veterinarian, Dr. Harley Newton, explained, “We have observed that sharks tracked on our global shark tracker often spend some time off the Outer Banks before heading further north, a pattern similar to what the white shark Contender seems to be following.”
Dr. Newton added, “This behavior could be linked to the abundant food sources in the area, offering an opportunity for the sharks to feed and build up energy before embarking on a journey that could span over 1,000 miles.”
