Shark Attacks and Shark Attack Related Incidents News Articles on Shark Bites

Edgewater surfer bitten by shark near south jetty

By MARK I. JOHNSON
Staff Writer

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- A 26-year-old Edgewater surfer became Volusia County's 18th shark bite victim of 2008 Wednesday morning.

Beach Patrol officials said Alexander Zgura told them he was sitting on his board in the surf near the jetty on the New Smyrna Beach side of Ponce de Leon Inlet just before 11 a.m. when a shark grabbed him by the lower left leg.

"He said it was about 6 feet long," Beach Patrol Officer Scott Wise said.

Wise said Zgura appeared to suffer two bites between the knee and ankle causing about 13 to 15 separate lacerations, which would likely require stitches. However, he declined transport to Bert Fish Medical Center, saying he would go by private vehicle.

The officer said there is currently a "large mullet run" near the inlet, which means plenty of baitfish in the area. That combined with somewhat murky water may have contributed to the encounter.

Zgura's bite comes less than a week after a similar encounter between a surfer and a shark several miles to the south of the inlet.

Jacob Shoup, 20, suffered a bite on the left foot while swimming south of the 27th Avenue beach approach Sunday afternoon. His injuries were also considered minor, Beach Patrol officials said.

These two bites put Volusia County on pace with "The Year of the Shark" in 2001 when there were a record 22 man versus shark encounters in local waters.

However, Capt. Scott Petersohn of the Beach Patrol said that is likely nothing more than a coincidence.

"Last year was exactly like 2001, but that didn't pan out to be a banner year," he said.

mark.johnson@news-jrnl.com

Information on previous shark attacks available at www.news-journalonline.com/special/sharkattacks/

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJ ... 082808.htm

Shark Bites Ponce Inlet Beachgoer Twice Victim Suffers Wounds To Calf, Foot

POSTED: 11:58 am EDT August 27, 2008
UPDATED: 1:29 pm EDT August 27, 2008

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- A beachgoer near Ponce Inlet was bitten twice by a shark on Wednesday morning.

The extent of the injuries was not immediately known, but the attack happened around 11 a.m. near where other bites have happened.


Beach officials said Alex Zgura, 27, was sitting on his surfboard and dangling his feet in murky water at the time.

"I was right next to him and said, 'I'm out of here.' It's scary," Dawn Oliva said. "It got the bottom of his calf an bit the back of his calf and his ankle and the top of his foot."

It was the 18th shark bite in 2008 in Volusia County. To comment on this story, send an e-mail to Claire Metz.

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Alex Zgura from Edgewater Fl Shark Attack New Smyrna Beach, Volusia County, Florida, USA attacked twice by six foot shark chunk of calf missing and bitten on foot.
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Surfer suffers shark attack in Ponce de Leon Inlet

By MARK I. JOHNSON
Staff writer

NEW SMYRNA BEACH – Beach Patrol and emergency medical officials responded to the Ponce de Leon Inlet this morning to treat Volusia County’s 18th shark bite of the year.

Capt. Scott Petersohn said he had no details immediately available about the incident other than it occurred near the jetty.

The bite comes less than a week after an unidentified New Smyrna Beach man was bitten on the left foot while swimming south of the 27th Avenue beach approach Sunday afternoon.

The 20-year-old surfer was treated at the scene and then taken to Bert Fish Medical Center by friends.


http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJ ... 082708.htm