Rare Shark Bite Suspected at Popular East Coast Beach

It was the second possible bite in the area this summer.

It seems as though no beaches in the United States have been safe from shark-related activity or attacks this summer, with areas from Cape Cod to Texas seeing upticks in abnormal shark behavior. And in yet another incident, a beachgoer in South Carolina suffered an apparent "likely shark bite" earlier this week.

According to WSAV 3 News, the incident went down on Monday afternoon at a beach at the Sea Pines Resort off the coast of Hilton Head Island. Lifeguards reported that a woman came out of the water bleeding, and that her wound was treated at the scene. The extent of her injuries is unclear, but she did not require being taken to the hospital. Shore Beach Services said that it was the second possible shark bite this year in the area.

Officials were said to have closed the water to swimmers for about 30 minutes until it could be determined that it was safe. In 2023, a man swimming in Hilton Head said he was bitten on the foot by a shark while swimming in waist-deep water. He was later transported to the hospital for treatment of the bite wound.

Although it could not be determined whether the most recent Hilton Head incident was conclusively a shark attack, it would follow other recent incidents around the US. Back in June, three people were injured in two separate shark attacks that took place in less than two hours on the same stretch of beach along the Florida panhandle coastline, with two victims were left in critical condition.

And over the July 4 holiday weekend, four swimmers were injured by what was believed to have been the same shark off the coast of South Padre Island, TX.