TORONTO – An unlucky swimmer was bitten by a juvenile great white shark that became agitated after becoming hooked by a fisherman near a southern California beach.
Officials said the man was with a group of long-distance swimmers Saturday about 274 metres off Manhattan Beach when he was bitten on a side of his rib cage by the shark.
The man was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
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Witnesses said the shark was roughly 2-metres and was thrashing around in the water for more than 30 minutes after becoming ensnared on a hook a fisherman had thrown in the water.
Eric Martin told KABC-TV the shark’s mouth opened and closed as if it was trying to shake the hook loose.
“We think the swimmer just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Martin said.
The fisherman cut the line, and a surfer put the injured swimmer on his board, taking him ashore with the help of Los Angeles County lifeguards. He was then treated by paramedics.
Police said the shark remained near the area for 20 minutes before swimming off.
Great white sharks can grow to be more than 6-metres and weigh more than 3,000 kilograms.
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