Florida authorities warn of shark dangers along Gulf Coast

Authorities are utilizing boats to patrol the ocean and cautioning swimmers about sharks this weekend along Florida’s Gulf Coast, where three individuals were injured in two separate shark attacks on Friday.

The attacks off beaches in the Florida Panhandle prompted authorities to temporarily shut down several beaches to swimmers on Friday. Beaches were reopened on Saturday, with flags indicating high hazards.

In Walton County, the sheriff’s office, fire department, and the state’s wildlife agency were collaborating to patrol the water with boats and the shore with vehicles, as stated by the South Walton Fire District in an update on Saturday. Both of Friday’s attacks occurred in Walton County.

“Please swim cautiously today, respect the Gulf, stay hydrated, and keep an eye out for your loved ones,” the fire department communicated on social media.

Red and purple flags were utilized on Saturday to warn swimmers of the risks.

“Purple Flags indicate the presence of dangerous marine life and singular red flags indicate high hazard conditions,” the Bay County Sheriff’s Office shared in a social media post on Saturday.

Small fish are moving in groups near the shore at this time of year, which might have played a role in the attacks, according to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

The initial attack occurred Friday afternoon when a woman was bitten by a shark near WaterSound Beach, as reported by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. She sustained critical injuries on her hip and lower left arm and was airlifted to a trauma center, authorities mentioned.

Less than two hours later, firefighters were summoned to another beach about 4 miles east of the first attack after receiving multiple reports of a teenager injured by a shark, the sheriff’s office stated.

Two teenage girls were in waist-deep water with a group of friends when they were attacked, as outlined by the South Walton Fire District.

“When lifeguards and deputies arrived on the scene, one of the females had significant injuries to the upper leg and one hand,” fire officials detailed in an update. She was airlifted to a trauma center. The other teenager had minor injuries on one of her feet.

Additionally, on Friday, in Hawaii, a woman sustained serious injuries in an apparent shark attack in the waters off the island of Oahu, authorities stated.

Experts mention that shark attacks are uncommon.

Last year, there were 69 unprovoked bites globally, and 10 of those were fatal, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File. This figure was higher than the recent average of six deaths per year.