2 Teens In North Carolina Lose Limbs In Separate Shark Attacks

A 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy were the victims of a shark attack in Oak Island, North Carolina on Sunday. Those who witnessed the terrifying scenes are describing the attacks, which happened within 90 minutes of each other, as a “scene from Jaws.”

Officials confirmed that both victims had to be airlifted after being injured by an unidentified shark. They were both taken to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center where doctors had to take extreme measures to mend the damages. Neither of the victims has been identified but it was reported that the girl lost part of her arm and was in danger of losing her leg, and the boy lost his left arm. Both of them were tourists visiting the area. It was reported on Monday that both of them are in a stable condition.

Local authorities have been inviting people to visit the area despite the happenings, “Oak Island is still a safe place. We’re monitoring the situation. This is highly unusual,” said Oak Island’s town manager Tim Holloman. The beaches were open on Monday and officials were encouraging people to stay in shallow water. Both victims were in waist-deep water, about 20 yards from shore when the incident happened.

Experts are also reassuring locals and other visitors by saying that these attacks shouldn’t be a reason for them to stay out of the water, “People shouldn’t be scared to go in the water, but they should be dutifully cautious,” said George Burgess, Director of the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida’s Museum of Natural History.

However, authorities admitted that another attack was reported a week ago just 30 miles away from the area. Other attacks have been reported in Florida, and a 65-year-old woman was found dead in the coast of Maui from an apparent fatal encounter with a shark.