A shark attack off the coast of California on Wednesday left a swimmer severely injured.
The attack occurred at midmorning at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, about 85 miles south of San Francisco, the Pacific Grove Police Department stated in an announcement.
The male swimmer suffered “significant injuries from the shark bite,” and was taken to a hospital, police stated. The sufferer’s identification was not instantly launched.
Fernando Beltran instructed the Monterey Herald, per The Mercury News, he noticed a “tussling” in the water.
“I realized (it was a shark) when I saw the dorsal fin,” Beltran stated. “I was in shock for a minute, thinking, ‘Oh that can’t be a shark.’ I thought it was two guys wrestling.”
Beltran stated he noticed the swimmer go underwater for round 10 to 15 seconds. When the swimmer resurfaced, he started calling for assist. Beltran stated he referred to as 911, and a bunch of 4 or 5 paddleboarders rushed out to get the swimmer on a board and out of the water.
Beltran stated the sufferer was acutely aware and bleeding from his left leg when he final noticed him being transported to the hospital by emergency responders.
Firefighters deployed a drone to seek for the shark, however there have been no quick sightings.
Police stated the seashore at Lovers Point, on the south finish of Monterey Bay, will stay closed till Saturday.
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.