Shark bites surfer’s face on New Smyrna Beach

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) – A 38-year-old South Carolina man is recovering Tuesday after being bitten in the face by a shark in New Smyrna Beach NBC affiliate WESH.

The attack happened just before 8am while the man was surfing. The news agency reported that the encounter took place at the bay, where most shark bites occur.

WESH reported they were unable to reach the victim, but he was taken to Halifax Health Trauma Center as a precautionary measure, where he has since been released.

Shark bites in Volusia County are not typically life-threatening, but the area has become notorious for its numerous attacks over the years. So much so that the district is considered the “shark bite capital of the world”.

“When we went out this morning, we saw four or five weirdos ourselves,” longtime surfer Ron Robinson told WESH. Robinson had arrived at the jetty shortly after the victim was bitten and saw him being transported.

He told WESH that he learned the victim was “bitten on the right side of his cheek, between his ear and eye, after riding a wave and falling off the board.”

“Nine times out of 10, they fall into the shallow water and startle the shark, and that’s a reaction bite,” Robinson said.

WESH’s helicopter previously flew over the area and spotted several sharks in the water near the jetty. The outlet also reported that it saw “a lot of surfers.”

According to WESH, Tuesday’s bite is the seventh shark bite in Volusia County so far this year.