NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA: Mark Summerset, a 38-year-old surfer from South Carolina, experienced a terrifying encounter with a shark in an area that is often dubbed as the 'Shark Bite Capital of the World'.
On Tuesday morning, September 12, the surfer jumped off his board in Florida near the New Smyrna Beach jetty.
The jump turned into a harrowing ordeal when he was bitten in the face by a shark which the officials suspect was a spinner shark, reported The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
What is a spinner shark?
A spinner shark is a fast and agile predator that spins out of the water "in quick bursts of speed to catch a meal," according to Oceana.
Talking about the incident where the spinner shark's attack on Summerset, Ocean Rescue Captain Alex Miller stated that the creature nipped at the surfer's face.
"He did not see what it was but the assumption was that it was a shark," he told the outlet.
NBC affiliate WESH-TV reported that the shark's attack has caused a nearly two-inch laceration near Summerset's right cheek.
Though the surfer's injuries were distressing, they were not life-threatening. He was transported to a level-two trauma center named Halifax Health and was released from the facility shortly thereafter.
According to WESH, swimmers and surfers have often encountered these apex predators in the area due to the abundance of bait fish near the jetty.
Ron Robinson, a seasoned surfer in the area said, "Nine out of 10 times it’s because (the surfer will) fall in the shallow water, and they’ll spook the shark, and it’s a reaction bite."
Summerset's incident is the seventh shark attack in the New Smyrna beach area in 2023. A total of 32 shark attack have occurred in the region from 2010 until January 13, 2023, which has earned the beach a top spot on Travel Lens' list of America's "deadliest" beaches to visit.
How to avoid shark attacks?
According to People, experts have explained that shark attacks and bites can be avoided if swimmers and surfers swim near lifeguard stations and conduct proper research on the region if there are no lifeguards.
Furthermore, avoiding swimming early morning and dusk hours when sharks are more active can reduce the possibility of an encounter.
Wyatt Werneth, an experienced lifeguard of 28 years, who is also a public service spokesperson for the American Lifeguard Association, said, "They don't want to attack in the sense of a serial killer or a murderer."
