AVON, N.C. (WAVY) — The National Parks Service (NPS) says a man was airlifted to Norfolk Friday afternoon after a reported shark attack near the Avon Fishing Pier.
In a press release, the NPS said it got a call at 11:41 a.m. from the Dare County Sheriff’s Office 911 Center about a man who had apparently been injured by a shark one mile north of the pier.
Hatteras Island paramedics and rescue crews, as well as NPS rangers, responded and treated a 47-year-old man, who had “various injuries” to his right leg and lower back, according to the NPS. Dare County EMS said the man was suffering from multiple lacerations.
The man was airlifted to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital for further care. Dare County EMS said the victim was reported to be in stable condition.
The NPS said the man has been swimming with others when an “incident” happened, but no others were injured. Dare County EMS said the group was in knee-deep water.
The Avon Fishing Pier manager told WAVY.com the scene was about 1/2 mile from the pier. He said red flags are now flying, alerting beach goers of a shark attack.
Drew Pearson, emergency management director for Dare County, said the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad is monitoring the beach. He could not say if the beach was closed or not.
The NPS release said the last known “encounter with a shark” in that area happened in 2011 on Ocracoke Island.
However, in June 2012, the NPS told WAVY News a person may have been bitten by a shark in Avon. At the time, a spokeswoman for the Avon Medical Clinic, where the victim was taken, confirmed the shark attack. The victim, Megan Konkler, told WAVY News she received a few stitches on her foot, due to the attack.
Just this past Wednesday, an 8-year-old boy in Surf City, N.C. received minor injuries, after being bitten on his foot and leg by a shark. That location is about a five-hour drive south of Hampton Roads.
Another 1.5 hours south, in Oak City, N.C., a 12-year-old girl was injured in a shark attack on June 14. She lost part of her arm. Less than two hours later a 16-year-old boy was injured in a shark attack at the same beach. He lost his left arm.
