Along the same stretch of a North Carolina Beach, two teenagers were mauled in separate shark attacks. Both teens, a 12-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy lost limbs as a result of the incidents but are reportedly in stable condition.
According to Fox News, Oak Island Mayor Betty Wallace reported that both survivors are out of surgery. The teen girl lost a part of her left arm and may still lose her left leg while the young man has lost his left arm.
The call regarding the first attack came into the Brunswick County Dispatchers at around 4:12 p.m. and the second incident was reported about an hour alter at 5:30 on Sunday.
Several agencies responded to the call and an Air Link Helicopter was dispatched and both teens were airlifted to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, reported ABC News.
The Mayor updated that teams are scouring the area looking for any sharks that may be involved in the incidents.
The complete statement from Mayor Wallace's Facebook Page is found below:
One of the things we hope we never have to hear from a beach community; the shark bite victim is a teenage girl. Confirmed that she has lost part of her left arm and may lose her left leg. She and her family are not residents, but relatives of theirs are OKI residents. Town Manager Tim Holloman said a full update will be issued tomorrow morning about 8:30 am. That is all we can confirm for now. Please keep this girl and her family in your prayers.
While Town manager Tim Holloman has admitted he never seen anything like the unfortunate incidents that occurred earlier today, "Oak Island is still a safe place," he said. "We're monitoring the situation. This is highly unusual."
The young girl was not a local but was visiting family and no immediate information has been released about the older 16-year-old boy.
North Carolina shark attack leaves teen girl severely hurt https://t.co/jOqqrwewbS
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) June 14, 2015
The news follows Thursday's shark attack on a girl at an island in Brunswick County. Today's incidents occurred only 30 miles from Ocean Isle Beach where the teen was not seriously injured but suffered cuts on her foot and lost her 'boogie board.'
"This is the real deal threat," quoted ABC of shark expert George Burgess of the University of Florida. "This is highly unusual -- I have seen this twice in 40 years. Once in Egypt and once in the Florida Panhandle."
There will be a press conference on Monday morning at 9 a.m. at Oak Island Town Hall where more details about the attacks will be released. Per WECT, the beaches will be open on Monday to swimmers.
WNCN reports that in 2014, there were 72 unprovoked shark attacks worldwide. 45 of those incidents happened in the continental United States, specifically four happened in North Carolina.
