Shark expert warns of hurricane-related “feeding frenzy” after second horror attack in just a few days
EXPERTS have warned beachgoers that an approaching hurricane could lead to horrific shark attacks in the near future.
After two shark attacks occurred on popular Florida beaches within 24 hours, experts warn that Hurricane Lee could bring more sharks to the coast.
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Gavin Naylor, director of the University of Florida’s shark research program, explained: local Fox affiliate WOFL-TVthat people should be careful when swimming on the beach in the next few days.
While Hurricane Lee is currently 200 miles west of Bermuda, it may affect the current.
Naylor believes changes in the current will push the fish closer to the Florida coast, leading to more sharks in the area.
Several unsuspecting surfers have already been attacked by sharks on two beaches in Florida.
Bill Eveland had no idea how much danger he was in when he saw a school of mullet swim past him.
His friends had decided to return to the beach while he stayed in hopes of relaxing and enjoying the water.
“As I came up from the wave, the shark gave me a glancing blow to my lower right back and I knew I had been hit,” Eveland said.
“I glanced to my right and could see the back end of the shark coming off, about where my board was [was]and go back into the water.
Eveland decided to wait on his surfboard until the shark swam away before heading back to the beach
Once on land, he went to the emergency room and received 25 stitches for the huge bite the shark left on his back.
“I pushed my luck a little too far. “I probably shouldn’t have paddled out,” Eveland admitted.
The following day, 38-year-old Mark Sumersett was bitten on both sides of his face while surfing in New Smyrna Beach.
“It was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” he told the NBC affiliate in Orlando WESH.
“I was in bad car accidents. Nothing like that.”
The horrific encounter happened around 7.50am on Tuesday when the surfer jumped off his surfboard into the water.
Summerset said he didn’t see the beast coming until it had his head in its mouth, tearing open the right side of his face and leaving a two-inch wound.
The left side of his face also had a deep wound that extended from his eye to his jaw.
“It was pressure, and I tell you, that pressure was like a crunch,” he said of the moment he felt the shark biting at him.
“I heard the crunching. It felt like a bear trap was crunching on my face.”
The surfer was taken to hospital where he suffered over 20 stitches to his face and head.
Sumersett is the seventh person to be attacked in Volusia County alone this year.