West Virginia boy, 14, bitten by shark on leg in waist-deep water swimming at North Carolina beach

A 14-year-old boy was bitten on the leg by a shark while swimming in waist-deep water at a beach in North Carolina.

Blayne Brown was bit on the leg and ankle by a shark at Topsail Beach Access No. 4 in Pender County, North Carolina. It's reported that the teenager was swimming in waist-deep water in the early afternoon with a friend when the incident occurred.

According to The Herald-Dispatch, Blayne was roughly 30 to 40 feet away from the shore, and beachgoers helped provide medical attention to the teen before first responders arrived and took him to Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune. Blayne said: "I didn't know what it was. I just felt something that hurt a lot."

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The teenager had to undergo surgery - with a specialist brought in to deal with the extensive injuries. Brown returned home to West Virginia on Tuesday, though his mother said he may need another surgery.

It comes as the Associated Press reported that there were 69 unprovoked shark bites worldwide last year. Ten of those incidents were fatal, according to the International Shark Attack File . That was higher than the recent average of six deaths per year. Last year, it was reported that a woman was tragically killed just one day after her wedding after being mauled to death in a shocking shark attack while paddle-boarding in The Bahamas .

The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed witnesses said the 44-year-old Boston woman had just got married and was attacked while in the ocean with her family. She was brutalized in waters that were fewer than one mile off the western end of New Providence Island.

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In a statement, Royal Bahamas Police Force said: "Shortly after 11.15 am, police were notified that a female visitor from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, was subsequently attacked by a shark. According to initial reports, the female -- along with a male relative -- were paddle-boarding just at the rear of a resort in western Providence, some 3/4 miles out from the shoreline, when she was bitten by the shark."

Police stated the victim was with a relative, who was reported left uninjured following the attack. The type of shark that killed the newlywed is unclear. The lifeguard was able to pull both paddlers to safety in a boat, but the woman's injuries to the right side of her body were too severe—she died at the scene.

Sandals Resort said: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a guest while on a paddle-boarding activity nearly a mile from the shore. We wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the guest’s family and loved ones. We remain in close contact with them and are providing all support possible during this difficult time."