NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – A 17-year-old boy was bitten by a shark Saturday while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia Beach Safety officials said.
Capt. Mike Berard said the boy was surfing near the inlet just before noon when a shark bit his right hand.
John Brown, of Winter Garden, was there when it all happened and made the call to 911.
"As I'm scanning with the binoculars, there's this kid that comes straight to me, with his hand flowing blood from where he got bit," he said. "The kid said, 'I was on the surfboard coming into the whitewater and jumped off the board and landed right on the shark.' He said the shark bit his hand, and he was trying to rip his hand out. He punched him two or three times, and he let go and came straight out."
The boy was taken to a nearby hospital by his parents and is expected to be OK with just minor cuts on his hand, Berard said.
For other surfers, they hope people take this as a lesson to be aware of what could be around them.
"You see a lot of bait fish jumping in the area or swarming in the area. Obviously, there's something feeding, so the smart thing is to stay away from those areas," beachgoer Chris Smith said.
Beach safety officials flew the red flag for the day because of hazardous rip current conditions, and expect those conditions to continue through the holiday weekend.