Woman, 50, in Stable Condition After Being Attacked By Shark at Beach in Del Mar, Calif.

Ingrid Vasquez
·2 min read
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An Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train passes in front of pedestrians walking along a beach in Del Mar, California, U.S., on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Fully vaccinated Americans can do away with wearing masks, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, the most significant shift in federal guidelines since the start of the pandemic. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Bing Guan/Bloomberg/Getty

A beachgoer survived a shark attack Friday in Del Mar, California.

Del Mar Lifeguard Chief Jon Elderbrock told FOX 5 that a juvenile white shark bit a 50-year-old woman on her leg shortly after 10 a.m. while swimming with a male companion in the Del Mar beach area past the surf line, an area that is frequented by recreational swimmers.

The woman, who is in stable condition, was treated for punctures and lacerations at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, according to CNN.

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Although lifeguards told NBC 7 that this was the first shark bite incident in the area, FOX 5 reported that the beach is expected to be closed for a mile in each direction for at least 48 hours.

Elderbrock said in an interview with FOX 5 that "shark and human interactions are consistent daily," which makes it necessary for the area to be closely monitored. He noted that the appearance of a juvenile white shark is rare and makes Friday's incident "extraordinary behavior."

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He praised the swimmers for keeping calm through the event and for swimming together. "No matter what, anything can happen in the ocean," Elderbrock added.

A study conducted by Australian researchers in 2021 found that juvenile white sharks, which are responsible for most of the great white attacks on humans, are either completely color blind or have a limited color perception, contributing to their inability to differentiate between humans, seals, and walruses.

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On Tuesday, a juvenile white shark washed up dead in the San Diego area, near Torrey Pines, California, only three miles away from the scene of Friday's attack. The Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve & State Beach revealed in a social media post that she died of injuries sustained from fishing activities.