Teen recovering after shark bite in Garden City Beach
A 15-year-old boy is recovering after being bitten by a shark in Garden City Beach about 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to Capt. Jerry Howerton, with Murrells Inlet-Garden City Fire.
The teen was in chest deep water around the 1600 block of Waccamaw Drive when the small shark bit him on the leg.
When the teen tried to push the shark away, it bit him on the hand. The teen is being treated at Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital for non life-threatening injuries, according to Margaret Lamb, spokeswoman for Tidelands Health.
William Richmond, an emergency department physician, confirmed the teen’s lower leg and hand wounds are due to a shark bite, Lamb said.
The teen is in good condition and was expected to be released from the emergency department later Thursday, she said.
According to the Global Shark Attack File, which records interactions between humans and sharks, there had been five shark-related incidents in South Carolina this year before Thursday’s bite. Four of those incidents were “unprovoked,” which means the human did not attack, spear or fish the shark, according to the file. No of those incidents were along the Grand Strand.
News Alliance partner WPDE contributed to this report.
At the scene of where a 15yo was bitten by a shark on his leg & hand. Officials cleared scene before we got here. pic.twitter.com/8cV0InnFom
— Claire Byun (@Claire_TSN) August 20, 2015The teen bitten by a shark was taken to the hospital for his injuries about an hour ago, witnesses said. Injuries are non life threatening.
— Claire Byun (@Claire_TSN) August 20, 2015This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 1:08 PM with the headline "Teen recovering after shark bite in Garden City Beach."