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Shark Attack Reported Off Northern California Beach; Surfer Injured, Beach Temporarily Closed
A 39-year-old surfer was seriously injured with leg wounds and aided by off-duty lifeguards; the beach was closed for 48 hours, officials said shark encounters are rare.
- On Wednesday, March 18, a 39-year-old man was bitten by a shark while surfing off Big River Beach inside Mendocino Headlands State Park, California State Parks said it received the report at about 5:18 p.m.
- Officials said sharks are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and encounters with people are rare, with only 234 shark-related incidents in California since 1950, John Ugoretz of CDFW noted.
- Three off-duty California State Parks seasonal lifeguards who were surfing nearby raced to help, and first responders including State Parks, Cal Fire, Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, and Mendocino Fire transported the victim with injuries to both legs to Adventist Hospital in Fort Bragg.
- Officials placed 48-hour beach closures while CDFW leads an active investigation and collects DNA samples, according to California State Parks.
- From his hospital bed, the survivor said 'I thought of my wife and my kid and I was just like, I cannot die', while CDFW warned the shark may still be in the area.
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources15
Leaning Left6Leaning Right1Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 42%
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