A 14-year-old boy was bitten on the leg by a shark during a lifeguard training camp in Ponce Inlet on Monday morning. The incident occurred near the Ponce Inlet lifeguard tower shortly before noon, according to Volusia County Beach Safety officials.
The teenager, identified as Dempsey Manhart, was practicing water entries when he landed on what witnesses described as a 4-to-5-foot blacktip shark, a species common to the area. Manhart was immediately treated on scene for non-life-threatening lacerations and taken to a hospital by his parents for further evaluation.
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Volusia County Beach Safety confirmed that the boy participated in the Junior Lifeguard Camp, a program designed to teach young people essential water safety skills. While unfortunate, this incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks associated with ocean activities.
This is the third shark bite incident reported in the area in the past week. On July 4th, a tourist was bitten on the foot while playing football in shallow water at New Smyrna Beach. A few days earlier, another man was bitten while floating in an inner tube in the same area.
While shark bites are relatively rare, Volusia County, and specifically New Smyrna Beach, has been dubbed the “shark attack capital of the world” due to the higher frequency of incidents compared to other locations. Experts attribute this to the abundance of baitfish in the area, which attracts sharks closer to shore.
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Following this incident, beach safety officials are reminding swimmers to remain vigilant and exercise caution when entering the water. They also recommend avoiding swimming at dawn or dusk, as these are the times when sharks are most active.
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