Girl, 15, loses leg after being attacked by SHARK at Keaton Beach in northwestern Florida

Girl, 15, loses leg after being attacked by a shark while scalloping in 5ft-deep water in Florida: Family member jumped into the water and beat the predator off her

A teenage girl who was scalloping in water that was only five feet deep when she was attacked by a shark and forced off by a family member who leapt into the sea and beat the monster off of her lost her leg as a result of the incident.

The victim, who is 15 years old and whose identity has not been revealed, was attacked close to Grassy Island, which is located off Keaton Beach in Taylor County.

According to the sheriff’s office, her injuries were so severe that she needed to be airlifted to a hospital in Tallahassee, which is located around 80 miles to the northwest of Keaton Beach.

She underwent surgery, and the Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett informed FOX3 News that she is likely to pull through this.

When the shark bit the young woman, she was scalloping in seas that, according to authorities, were about 5 feet deep. It was difficult to tell what kind of shark it was.

“Swimmers and scallopers are advised to remain cautious, vigilant, and practice shark safety,” the sheriff’s office stated.

One important regulation that beachgoers must abide by is to never swim by themselves. To avoid swimming in the waters near fishing docks and sandbars, where sharks frequently gather.

Additionally, it’s advisable for swimmers to stay away from huge schools of fish and to keep their movements in the water controlled.

For decades, Florida has ranked first in the United States and the rest of the globe for unprovoked shark bites, and the trend persisted in 2021, according to researchers. Last year, there were 28 unprovoked bites in Florida, compared to 19 throughout the rest of the country and 26 outside of it. The 28 instances in Florida accounted for 60% of all unprovoked bites in the United States and 38% of all such bites globally.