Surfer bitten by White Shark

California_shark_bite

Surfer Kevin Swanson was bitten by an 8 to 10 foot  juvenile Great White Shark Sunday morning.

He and a friend were surfing at Sand Spit Beach in Montana de Oro California.

State Park Ranger Supervisor Robert Culligan told KSBY the attack happened at the Sand Spit Beach around 11:30 Sunday morning.

The man who is in his 50s was able to paddle back to shore after he was bitten on his right hip and leg.

He was treated on scene and then air lifted to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center for what officials say appeared to be non life threatening injuries

According to witnesses it looked like the surfboard took the majority of the bite.

Though sightings are common bites are rare.

“The last one I was aware of was back in 2003 and that was in Avila beach. Since then I’ve not really heard of many shark attacks. But the sharks live in the ocean, that’s their home so sometimes there are attacks,” Culligan said.

The beaches will remain open with signs posted to warn people of the incident.

He recounts the incident on video here

The location has been marked on the 2014 shark bites attack map.

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