What happened?
A 26-year-old man died after a shark attacked him while he was swimming at a beach in Wellfleet, Massachusetts on Saturday.
CNN reported that witnesses told police that the victim, Arthur Medici, was bodyboarding with his girlfriend’s brother, Isaac Rocha, around noon when the incident occurred.
“I swam to him as fast as I could in that moment,” Rocha told CBS News. “I dragged him back to the shore and I got a boogie-board strap and I kind of tied it around his thigh to try to stop the bleeding.”
Responders and people on the beach helped rescue Medici from the water and administered CPR. Medici was taken to Cape Cod hospital where he later died from his injuries, reported BBC.
The Latest
Officials suspect that the shark was a Great White, which is common in Massachusetts waters, according to CBS.
Greg Skomal, a marine biologist and Massachusetts Recreational Fisheries program manager, told CBS that these sharks are seen daily.
“They are there in big numbers. And people have to be vigilant and be aware of it,” Skomal said.
What’s Next
The beach has remained closed since Sunday. Officials warned that the amount of sharks has increased with the rising seal population. Officials suspect that attacks occur because sharks mistake humans for seals or other prey, according to the New York Times.
The National Park Service warned beachgoers to be cautious, telling people not to swim alone or near seals.
In Context
This is the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts in over 80 years, according to CNN.
Chances of shark attacks happening are very low, with a reported total of 88 shark attacks in the United States last year. However, the U.S. historically has the most attacks of any other country, according to the New York Times.
