Surfer bitten by shark on same beach twice in attacks 11 years apart

A Florida surfer says helium was bitten by a shark connected the nonstop aforesaid beach wherever helium was bitten successful 2013. It doesn’t look to person been the aforesaid shark.

Cole Taschman, 28, told Treasure Coast Newspapers helium was surfing with friends astatine southeast Florida’s Bathtub Beach past week erstwhile either a bull oregon tiger shark measuring astatine astir 9 feet, chomped astatine his feet arsenic helium was lying down and paddling against the current.

He’s recovering astatine location pursuing a brace of surgeries and much than 90 stitches, with different cognition perchance connected the way. He tore 4 tendons successful the Friday day attack.

In 2013, a blacktip reef shark reportedly spot Taschman connected his close hand, but took nary fingers.

“Same beach, aforesaid nonstop rock, aforesaid place, aforesaid reef, aforesaid everything,” Taschman marvelled.

The injured surfer told Treasure Coast Newspapers helium was fortunate not to person been connected the waves unsocial past week. His friends accompanied him to the enactment wherever 1 of the men crafted a tourniquet to dilatory the humor loss. Rather than waiting for an ambulance, the trio drove 15 minutes to Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital.

Taschman said helium started to walk retired successful the car, but 1 of his pals dumped h2o connected his caput to support him alert. The unfortunate was yet transferred to a West Palm Beach aesculapian halfway for surgery.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission claims connected its website that being bitten by a shark successful that state’s waters is “extremely unlikely.”

It besides warns “Do not participate the h2o if sharks are known to beryllium present, and get retired of the h2o if sharks are sighted.”