Hilton Head Island depends on tourists for its economy. However, a recent incident has brought a lot of bad publicity to the resort town. On Friday, July 21, a shark attacked a 60-year-old man in very shallow waters off Sea Pines Beach.

The shark had been circling the island for many days before the attack. The Shore Beach Services closed the beach to all tourists and swimmers for a day after the unprovoked shark attack. The authorities have been reluctant to release specific details about the incident, but witnesses reported that the man suffered severe injuries to his leg.

Shark attack leaves man with a serious wound

When the shark attacked, the unnamed victim was in waist-deep water no more than 2 to 3 feet from the shore. It bit his foot and left behind a serious gash. The Shore Beach Service personnel quickly rescued the man and brought him back to the shore. They alerted the Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue paramedics, who took the man to Hilton Head Hospital to take care of the apparent shark bite. The authorities are still trying to determine the species of shark that attacked the man, but it has not been easy.

The waters around Hilton Head Island are teeming with marine life that includes several species of sharks, such as fine tooth sharks, black nose sharks, bonnethead sharks, tiger sharks, great hammerheads, and even great white sharks. These sharks are gradually coming closer to the shore. In April, a great white even washed ashore on a South Carolina beach.

This is the second shark attack on the island in two years. Previously in 2021, a lifeguard received a bite on the chest while checking the water conditions. He was rushed to the ER, where his wounds were treated, and he recovered. The slew of unprovoked shark attacks has raised concerns among beachgoers and scientists alike. In an interview with Live Science, Daniel Abel, a marine science professor at Coastal Carolina University, advised people saying, “Don’t swim where there are schools of small fish offshore. Don’t swim near where people are fishing near piers”. He also asked beachgoers to be extra careful during dawn and dusk. However, other experts believe that these attacks are rare and should not be a matter of concern.

Differing opinions on shark attacks

The Florida Panhandle has been collecting and analyzing data on shark attacks from around the world. They have concluded that these attacks are rare and do not exhibit any change in shark behavior. David Angotti, the Florida Panhandle founder, reported to Live Science that an American is 50 times more vulnerable to dying from lightning “and ten times more likely to die by a firework accident compared to a shark attack”.

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This statement has not gone down well with many people who have cited the 57 cases of unprovoked shark attacks from around the world. At least five people have lost their lives in these attacks. Shark attacks are rising in the U.S. and Australia, and the maximum activity is seen off the Florida coast. Now, South Carolina is also experiencing an increase in these attacks. Last year on August 15, a shark attacked two swimmers off Myrtle Beach on the same day without any fatalities. These recent incidents have worried the Town of Hilton Head Island Government as they fear that the increase in shark attacks may negatively impact tourism and beach activities.

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