Coastal safety tips after shark bite at North Topsail Beach

PINE KNOLL SHORES, N.C. (WITN) – Blayne Brown, 14, from West Virginia, who was bitten by a shark at North Topsail Beach Sunday afternoon, has been released from the hospital.

After the accident, beachgoers quickly covered her injured leg with towels and clothes.

Joel Fodrie, a professor at UNC, highlighted the seriousness of shark bites, saying, “A shark can have lasting effects and greatly impact someone's day. »

Brown described the attack as traumatic and frightening, as he was afraid of the ocean even before the incident. Experts stress that sharks still pose a potential danger.

“Even one, five or ten encounters are very dangerous, which highlights the nervous nature of large sharks,” Fodrie explained.

Fodrie advised beachgoers to remain vigilant. “If you see baby fish on the surface or dolphins, this can signal larger predators like sharks nearby,” he warned.

The Florida Museum of Natural History reported 11 shark bites along U.S. coasts in the past six months, with 69 unprovoked attacks worldwide in 2023. Although rare, shark attacks can occur along coasts of the Carolinas.

“Shark bites and encounters are more common in areas with wavy, turbulent beaches,” Fodrie noted, adding that incidents are less common in estuaries.

Shark bites in North Carolina are generally more common in winter and early spring.

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