MELBOURNE BEACH, Fla. – A man was attacked by a “toothy sea creature” while surfing Tuesday morning off Melbourne Beach, according to officials.
The attack happened around 8:15 a.m. near the 7400 block of State Road A1A in the Sunnyland Beach community.
The 25-year-old victim was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center with an arm injury, according to Brevard County Fire Rescue. Officials said the man suffered “significant bleeding.”
“It was severe enough that they thought he needed specialized attention at a trauma center,” Fire Chief Mark Schollmeyer said.
Officials later confirmed the injury was caused by a shark bite.
Firefighters said the surfer was fortunate to be right across the street from the last fire station in the county before Sebastian Inlet.
There are nine miles between station 65 and Brevard’s next closest emergency responders.
So firefighters said the man managed to walk a couple of hundred yards from the water to the fire station where his treatment started.
“He was lucky, or fortunate enough, to remember the fire station was there,” Schollmeyer said.
The fire chief said he’ll survive his injuries.
**MARINE INCIDENT** 7400 A1A, S Melb Bch, Station 65, Adult male pt walk in encounter with a toothy sea creature while surfing, arm injury with significant bleeding, transported to a local trauma center by ground. No other info. #BCFR #BrevardsBravest #SoMelbBeach
— BCFRpio (@BCFRpio) September 15, 2020
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