CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A 13-year-old boy sustained a shark bite to his upper thigh Wednesday afternoon off the Georgia coast, initiating an emergency rescue.
The incident prompted a rapid response from emergency services, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Emergency radio traffic indicated the call reported the male teenager had been bitten by a shark, WJCL, the ABC station in Savannah, reports. The initial transmission also noted an estimated 10-minute arrival time for the Coast Guard.
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The U.S. Coast Guard brought the victim ashore to the Sunbury Boat Dock in Liberty County for medical attention. Crews from EMS met the Coast Guard at the dock to provide further care.
“It’s scary that it could happen because I never thought it could happen,” Tom Potter, a local resident who frequently visits Ossabaw Island told WCJL. “We’ve had dolphins. All the dolphins come within ten feet of us. I’ve never seen a shark.”
The current medical condition of the victim has not been released and the specific species of shark involved in the incident was not identified.
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