The waters off the coast of Walton County, Florida, were closed after a series of shark bites on Friday.
Both incidents occurred in Walton County, in the Florida Panhandle. South Walton Fire Department spokeswoman Mackenzie McClintock said the incident was not near a boat, but officials were unsure how far from land the attack occurred.
The two incidents happened about 90 minutes apart and about four miles apart, according to South Walton Fire Chief Ryan Crawford. A total of three people were killed.
Crawford said at an evening press conference that it was “highly unusual” for two bites to occur in the same afternoon.
The first reported “shark incident” left a 45-year-old woman injured. It happened around 1:20 p.m. near Founders Way at Water Sound Beach in Water Sound, Crawford and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said.
Crawford said the woman was stung when she and her husband were swimming past the first sandbar.
“She suffered significant trauma to her torso and pelvic area and an amputation of her lower left arm,” Crawford said.
The woman was taken to a medical center in serious condition, Crawford said.
He was in stable condition as of Saturday, said Elizabeth Uhlber, a spokeswoman for HCA Fort Walton Destin Hospital.
After the first attack, double red danger flags were placed on beaches in the area, according to the sheriff’s office, and the Gulf of Mexico in Walton County was also closed to the public at the time.
Soon after, at 2:56 p.m., the sheriff’s office and fire department responded to a second shark incident in the Sandy Shores Court area off Seacrest Beach in Walton County.
Crawford said there were two victims in the attack, both girls between the ages of 15 and 17.
Crawford said they were with a group of friends “just inside the first sandbar” and that the location was “very similar” to the first attack.
The first victim suffered “severe injuries” to her upper and lower extremities, Crawford said. She was taken to a trauma center in critical condition.
The second victim suffered a “flesh wound” to his right leg but was in stable condition, Crawford said.
Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson said that thanks to the quick response of neighbors and emergency responders, the two women who were seriously injured “are likely to survive.”
Adkinson said authorities have contacted experts from Mote Marine in Sarasota, Florida, to see if there is anything “unusual” about the double attack, but they don’t believe there is anything.
McClintock said authorities are unsure of the type of shark that bit the two victims, but that sharks are common in the area.
After the second attack, authorities closed the waters to the public throughout Walton County. The waters reopened Saturday under red flags, indicating high waves and strong currents, and purple flags, indicating the presence of stinging marine life.
South Walton Fire Station’s coastal safety officer, David Vaughan, described the attack as “an extraordinary event which has caused significant confusion and concern”.
He urged beachgoers to be aware of the situation, know what the beach flags indicate and take appropriate action.
“Please respect the Gulf countries,” he said.
