HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — A Canadian tourist bitten by a shark off Hollywood Beach Tuesday remained in the hospital Wednesday, but was expected to recover, officials said.
It happened at around 2:50 p.m. near the 4100 block of Ocean Drive.
Beachgoers helped the man, in his 40s, out of the water and called for help.
“While in chest-deep water with a friend, he observed a fish jump over his head, followed by a large splash,” Chai Kauffman, a spokesperson for Hollywood Fire Rescue, said in a news release Wednesday afternoon “At that moment, he realized he had been injured. He exited the water and walked onto the sand, where nearby beachgoers quickly came to his aid.”
Kauffman said the man, who has asked to remain anonymous, had “a severe laceration” requiring a tourniquet and surgery.
Although the man was not gravely injured, concerns continued on the beach for swimmers.
“They got called out of the ocean by our lifeguards because there were sightings of other sharks,” Kauffman said.
There have been multiple shark sightings over the prior weeks, officials said. They warned swimmers to be cautious and heed warnings.
“(Beach rescue crews) want to encourage people to come to the beach safely and responsibly, but they are always prepared for things like this,” Kauffman said.
Officials urge swimmers to look at flags on lifeguard stands and said QR codes on the stands provide additional information about beach conditions.
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