A 17-year-old boy in Galveston, Texas, USA was injured by a shark on Memorial Day after the animal was reportedly pulled onto a boat during a fishing outing and then bit him onboard.
Authorities said the incident occurred on Monday afternoon while the teenager was out at sea with two other people, including his father.
Law enforcement informed the Coast Guard Command Center after the teen sustained a bite injury while still offshore, according to officials cited by the Houston Chronicle.
Coast Guard Lieutenant Chandler Robinson explained that the group had already brought the shark onto the vessel before the bite occurred. Emergency responders later noted that the situation escalated when the boat began experiencing mechanical problems in the Gulf.
According to reporting from Fox 61, the teen’s father quickly applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding as they attempted to return to shore. However, the vessel later became disabled at sea, delaying their return.
The Galveston Island Beach Patrol responded around 3:30 p.m. after receiving reports that a person who had been injured about two hours earlier was stranded on a malfunctioning boat. Beach patrol and the Coast Guard later reached the group and applied an additional tourniquet to the teenager’s arm.
Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Jimmy Fullen said officials could not confirm the shark’s exact species or size, but confirmed the victim was bitten on the arm. He clarified the nature of the incident, stating:
‘All the reports were that it was a shark attack, but it wasn’t; [the shark] was actually brought onto the boat and the shark ended up biting [the teen],’ Fullen said.
After being brought ashore, the teenager—reportedly conscious and alert—was transported to the University of Texas Medical Branch for treatment, according to ABC 13.
His current medical condition has not been publicly updated as of Tuesday.
Fullen also commented on the risks of marine encounters, saying:
‘It’s a possibility getting in the water you may get bit by a shark. It’s like going into the Everglades, you might get bit by an alligator.’
Preliminary indications shared on social media suggest the teen may have been bitten while attempting to remove a fishing hook from the shark’s mouth.
Shark attacks remain uncommon in Texas, USA waters. Data from the Florida Museum of Natural History indicates there have been only 19 recorded shark attack cases in the state since 1911.
