Woman, teens injured in two Florida shark attacks on same day

Three people were injured in two separate shark attacks in Walton County in the Florida Panhandle Friday afternoon, prompting authorities to temporarily close the area to swimmers.

The incidents occurred on two neighboring beaches and within 90 minutes of each other, according to South Walton Fire District Fire Chief Ryan Crawford.

Around 1:20 p.m., a 45-year-old woman was “swimming just past the first sandbar with her husband” near WaterSound Beach when she was attacked by a shark, Crawford said Friday at a news conference.

She suffered “significant trauma to the abdomen and pelvic region as well as an amputation of her left forearm”.

Lifeguards and deputies responded immediately and initiated treatment on the beach. She was then flown to a medical center, where she was found to be in critical condition.

The second incident occurred shortly before 3 p.m. in the Sandy Shores Court area of ​​Seacrest Beach, about 4 miles east of the first location.

Two teenage girls, believed to be aged between 15 and 17, were with a group of friends inside the first sandbar, in waist-deep water, when they were attacked.

One victim suffered “severe upper and lower extremity injuries” and was transported to a local trauma center in critical condition.

The other teenager suffered a minor injury to her right foot. She was transported to a medical center in stable condition, Crawford said.

The attacks led the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the South Walton Fire District to temporarily close some beaches in the county.

“We encourage beachgoers to be aware that lifeguards and beach attendants may attempt to keep people out of the water in the immediate area,” the sheriff's office said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Double red flags, warning the public of dangerous conditions and prohibiting swimming, are now flying on nearby beaches. Anyone entering the ocean faces a $500 fine.