Girl survives shark attack at North Carolina state park beach
Atlantic Beach, N.C. -- A park ranger says a 17-year-old girl was bitten by a shark at a North Carolina beach and suffered severe injuries. Fort Macon State Park ranger Paul Terry tells WCTI-TV that the teen was attacked by a shark while swimming around noon Sunday.
Atlantic Beach Fire Department officials said in a statement that the teen suffered "deep lacerations to her leg, pelvic, and hand areas." She was flown by helicopter to the Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, around 80 miles north.
Later Sunday, the hospital identified the victim as Paige Winter in a statement. A GoFundMe page was set up for the teen. The page says the funds raised will be "used to assist in the many surgeries, physical therapy, prosthetics, recovery process, and [her father] Charlie's missed days from work."
The hospital says Winter is in "good condition." Describing the teen as an advocate for marine life, the hospital says Winter "wishes for people to continue to respect sharks in their environment and their safety."
Last week, a California man died after being attacked by a shark while swimming in Hawaii. A witness said he was missing a leg when he was pulled ashore.
Last month, a cluster of massive great white sharks – some of which researchers have been tracking for more than a decade – gathered about 20 miles off the coast of the Carolinas.