Two shark bites were reported at Hilton Head Island beaches within four days, prompting temporary beach closures and renewed safety warnings.
The latest incident happened Sunday, June 22, in front of a lifeguard stand. According to WTOC, the girl suffered a wound consistent with a shark bite but is expected to recover. On Wednesday, a separate bite occurred at a non-public beach. That victim was airlifted to a hospital and is also expected to recover.
Following Sunday’s incident, authorities cleared swimmers for a half-mile in both directions. The beach reopened two hours later after no additional activity was reported.
Meanwhile, a massive great white shark has surfaced off the North Carolina coast. At nearly 14 feet and 1,600 pounds, “Contender” is the largest great white ever tagged in the Atlantic by research nonprofit OCEARCH.
Tagged in January off Florida, Contender was recently tracked 22 miles off Cape Hatteras. The shark is part of a seasonal migration north in search of cooler waters and prey.
If you plan on swimming near any North or South Carolina beaches, experts recommend taking extra precautions, including removing all shiny jewelry, wearing magnetic shark repellents, and avoiding colorful swimsuits.
Your risk will also increase if you swim at dusk or in the early hours of the night.
