Two Teens in Stable Condition After Weekend Oak Island Shark Attacks

By Jillian MacMath, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

June 16,2015; 8:50PM,EDT

 

 

Two teens sustained life-threatening injuries in separate shark attacks this weekend on North Carolina's shores.
A 13-year-old girl was bitten around 4:00 p.m. Sunday in Oak Island, North Carolina. The second bite was to a 16-year-old boy just over an hour later.
Both victims were swimming in waist-deep water when the attacks occurred, officials said.
Oak Island Mayor Betty Wallace posted to Facebook Sunday that the young girl lost her arm and could also lose her left leg. The 16-year-old male also lost his arm.
While the injuries were life-threatening, both victims were in stable condition Monday morning at New Hanover Regional Medical Center, the Associated Press reports.
Beachgoers were asked to stay out of the water following the second incident on Sunday, as the Coast Guard patrolled the shoreline by helicopter.
Patrols continued on Monday as the beaches reopened.
RELATED:
Warm Summer Waters Induce Shark Migration to East Coast Beaches
Shark Attacks: Where in the World Are You Most Vulnerable?
BLOG: Multiple Shark Attacks at Oak Island - My Beach
It was not immediately known why the attacks occurred so close to the shore.
The incidents mark the third shark attack in one week on the North Carolina coast.
On Thursday, a 13-year-old girl suffered minor injuries after a shark bit her boogie board near Ocean Isle Beach, roughly 15 miles from Oak Island.