Ohio man playing football in water bitten by shark at 'shark bite capital of the world'

A 21-year-old Ohio man was bitten by a shark at Florida's New Smyrna Beach on the Fourth of July while playing football in knee-deep water, according to Beach Safety Ocean Rescue Interim Director Tammy Malphurs.

The shark bit him on the right foot.

The man's injuries were not life-threatening, and he was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. No further information was available, including his name and where he lives in Ohio.

This is the third shark bite reported in Volusia County so far this year, according to Malphurs. New Smyrna Beach is commonly known as the "shark bite capital of the world" because of the high number of incidents.

In 2023, there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File.

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Of those 69 incidents, the U.S. led all other nations with 36; Florida led all U.S. states with 16; and Volusia County led all Florida counties with eight.

According to Gavin Naylor, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research with the Florida Museum of Natural History, beachgoers can take some steps to avoid getting bit by sharks. These include:

• Don't wear shiny jewelry, as it catches the light like scales, which might make sharks mistake people for fish.
• Don't go in the water where lots of baitfish are swimming around.
• Don’t swim on your own, which makes you an easier target for sharks.
• Don’t go swimming at dawn or dusk.
• Don’t go swimming where there are fishermen fishing.