Man bitten on foot by possible shark at Pensacola Beach
A man was taken to Gulf Breeze Hospital on Sunday afternoon after a possible shark attack at Pensacola Beach, according to Escambia County Emergency Services personnel.
Pensacola Beach senior lifeguard Nik Sharp said the man was bitten in the Casino Beach area, east of the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier.
The man, who appeared to be in hios mid-20s, had been in the water about 500 to 800 feet from shore when the attack occurred.
The man was taken to shore with lacerations to the top and bottom of his right foot, but the wounds were not life threatening, Sharp said.
Officials are not positive the man was attacked by a shark, as barracuda and other predatory fish are know to swim near the beach, Sharp said.
Pensacola Beach Water Safety Supervisor Dave Greenwood said the water at Pensacola Beach has been remarkably crystal clear this summer, possibly leading to more reports of shark sightings at the beach.
“If you’re from Nebraska and you see two sharks, you may say, ‘God, that’s a lot of sharks,’ ” Greenwood said. “But from a scientific point of view, you can’t say there’s been an increase.”
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