Shark Severely Bites Florida Fisherman After Being Caught Offshore, Leaving Him in Critical Condition

A fisherman who snagged a shark off the coast of Florida was severely bitten by the predator and is hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said.

The unidentified man was in a boat with friends when a distress call went out Friday morning, according to the Nassau County Sheriff's Office.

The emergency call was answered by the department's Marine Unit, which was on patrol in waters north of Jacksonville, near the Georgia border.

Deputies who responded to the vessel were met by a severely injured man whose arm was "bleeding pretty badly," said sheriffSheriff Bill Leeper on Friday.

A tourniquet was applied to the man's forearm and he was escorted to a boat ramp whereFernandina Beach Fire Rescue first responders were waiting.

The victim was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he was expected recover, the sheriff said.

The attack came just weeks after three succesive attacks earlier this month on Florida's Gulf Coast, authorities said.

A woman and two teens were injured in those attacks, according to Walton County officials.

The woman lost part of a leg and suffered other serious injuries. One teen suffered serious upper leg wounds and hand bites. The other received minor foot injuries.

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