Swimmer attacked by shark, prompting California beach closure

DEL MAR, Calif. ( KSWB/KUSI ) — A southern California beach was closed Sunday morning after a swimmer was reportedly attacked by a shark.

Officials from Del Mar, about 20 miles north of San Diego, said a 46-year-old man was bit by a shark shortly before 9 a.m., about 100 yards offshore from the Beach Safety Center at 17 ^th Street.

The man was reportedly in a group of about a dozen ocean swimmers who meet regularly to train in Del Mar. A city official said lifeguards witnessed a swimmer helping another swimmer and responded to the area, not yet realizing someone had been bitten.

The man suffered visible bites to his torso, left arm, and hand. He was transported by ambulance to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. City officials said his injuries are not considered life-threatening.

Shortly after the incident, lifeguards were seen posting signs in the area of 17th Street that read, “SHARK INCIDENT, DO NOT ENTER.” The post date was noted as June 2, 2024.

“In accordance with protocols developed by the California Marine Safety Chiefs Association and the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach, lifeguards have posted signs and closed Del Mar beaches for swimming and surfing one mile in both directions from the incident —roughly from 6 ^th Street to North Beach— and have notified neighboring jurisdictions,” the city stated.

Roughly 40 miles to the north, in San Clemente, authorities closed a popular beach for the Memorial Day holiday after a shark bumped a surfer off his board the night before. The surfer wasn’t injured, but the beach remained closed for 24 hours.

A sighting of a shark 10 feet or longer calls for a closure, usually for several hours, while any kind of aggressive behavior automatically prompts a 24-hour shutdown, pending no additional shark sightings.

The Associated Press contributed to this developing story.

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