NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Memorial Day beachgoers were kept out of the water Monday as lifeguards searched miles of popular Southern California shoreline for a shark they believe attacked a swimmer the day before. ADVERTISING NEWPORT BEACH,
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Memorial Day beachgoers were kept out of the water Monday as lifeguards searched miles of popular Southern California shoreline for a shark they believe attacked a swimmer the day before.
The woman, who was swimming in a wetsuit, received large bite marks on her upper torso and shoulder and was bleeding heavily after a lifeguard boat spotted her in distress Sunday at Corona Del Mar State Beach, said Tara Finnigan, spokeswoman for the city of Newport Beach.
The woman’s condition was not immediately available, but she was conscious when she went to a hospital, Finnegan said.
“We do suspect the victim was bitten by a shark, but haven’t been able to confirm that because we had no other witnesses and there was no reported shark sighting before the incident or after,” said Rob Williams, chief lifeguard of the Newport Beach Fire Department’s Marine Operations Division.
“We are treating this as a shark-bite incident and are asking everyone to please stay out of the water in the closure area,” he said.
While people were welcome on the beachfront and pier, lifeguards were asking anybody entering the water to return to the shore. With skies overcast and temperatures chilly, several beachgoers said it was too cold to swim anyway. The ban on entering the water stretched for several miles.
