08/24/2023 Male 9yr Oak Island is in Brunswick County North Carolina

[alb]

Child recovering from minor injuries after shark bite on Oak Island

A 9-year-old boy was playing in shallow water along the beach on Oak Island when he was bitten by a small shark, officials said.

The boy was injured at about 3 p.m. Wednesday near the SE 46th Street Beach Access Location, town officials said in a news release. Oak Island is in Brunswick County, on the southern end of the North Carolina coast.

The boy's family said he was playing in about 2 to 3 feet of water with an adult when they saw "small fish jumping out of the water nearby," according to the town.

"Shortly afterwards, the child sustained a bite to the front shoulder from either a juvenile or small species of shark," town officials said.

The family drove the boy to a hospital in Southport, where he was treated and released, according to officials. The child did not need stitches for the wounds.

"Although the reason for the bite is unclear, this appears to be an isolated incident. The Beach Services Unit is maintaining close observation of the surf area during their patrols throughout the remainder of the day," the town said.

Oak Island beaches currently have a purple flag warning, meaning watch out for wildlife in the ocean. That warning is because of several reports of jellyfish stings off the town's beaches.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/