North Carolina, a popular destination with pristine beaches and thriving tourism, often witnesses the incredible dance of nature as humans interact with the marine world. Among these interactions, shark attacks have drawn attention, raising questions and sparking interest. On this page, we provide weekly updates on shark attacks in North Carolina, ensuring residents and visitors alike stay informed. Knowledge is power, and understanding these events can shape our beach experiences for the better.
Recent Shark Attacks in North Carolina
| Date | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-29 | USA ,Sunset Beach | Swimming | Sean Barton | M /26 | Gash to lower left leg | Not stated |
| 2021-07-27 | USA ,Wrightsville Beach | Standing | Arik Nekrazov | M /15 | Lower left leg bitten | |
| 2021-06-27 | USA ,Ocean Isle, Brunswick County | Swimming | female | F /7 | Calf bitten | |
| 2021-04-17 | USA ,Outer Banks | Tagging sharks | fishing boat Sarah Brent | No injury to occupants, shark bit boat after being tagged | Mako shark, 4 juvenile | |
| 2020-10-21 | USA ,Emerald Isle, Carteret County | Surfing | Erik Martynuik | M | Laceration to knee and foot | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 2020-08-01 | USA ,Surf City, Pender County | Surfing | Jphn Dodge | M /54 | No Injury, but board bitten | |
| 2020-07-22 | USA ,Neuse River, Craven County | Treading water | male | M | Left calf & foot bitten | Bull shark. 6.5' |
| 2020-06-20 | USA ,Salvo, Dare County | Body Surfing | Nick Arthur | M /16 | Injury to thigh | |
| 2020-01-13 | USA ,Rodanthe, Dare County | Surfing | Samuel Horne | M /26 | Lacerations to foot | |
| 2019-07-30 | USA ,Off Cape Hatteras, Dare County | Fishing | Rick Caton | M | Arc of punctures to lower right leg by hooked shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Blacktip shark, 5' |
| 2019-07-16 | USA ,Sunset Beach, Brunswick County | Body-surfing | Melissa Chase | F | Ankle bitten | shark pup |
| 2019-06-16 | USA ,Bald Head Island, Brunswick County | Swimming | male | M /8 | Puncture wounds to leg | |
| 2019-06-10 | USA ,Ocean Isle, Brunswick County | Surfing | Austin Reed | M /19 | Cuts to right foot | |
| 2019-06-02 | USA ,Fort Macon State Beach, Carteret County | Standing | Paige Winter | F /17 | Severe injuries to leg and hand | |
| 2018-08-18 | USA ,Atlantic Beach, Carteret County | Surfing | male | M /14 | Injury to right lower leg | |
| 2018-08-05 | USA ,Bald Head Island, Brunswick County | Standing | Edward Donohue | M /16 | Injury to calf | Said to involve a blacktip shark |
| 2018-08-05 | USA ,Bald Head Island, Brunswick County | Swimming/Standing | female | F | Injury to right calf | |
| 2016-06-25 | USA ,Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Carteret County | Surfing | male | M /11 | Foot injured | |
| 2016-06-11 | USA ,Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Carteret County | Standing | Dillon Bowen | M /19 | Laceration to wrist | 3' shark |
| 2015-07-04 | USA ,Off Surf City, Pender County | a marine | M /32 | Lacerations to right hand & forearm | ||
| 2015-07-01 | USA ,Ocracoke, Lifeguard Beach, National Park Service, Hyde County | Swimming | Andrew Costello | M /68 | Injuries to torso, hip, lower leg & hands | 6' to 7' shark |
| 2015-06-27 | USA ,Rodanthe, Dare County | Swimming | John Cole | M /18 | Injuries to right calf, buttock and both hands | Bull shark |
| 2015-06-25 | USA ,Avon, Hatteras Island, Outer Banks, Dare County | Body surfing? | Patrick Thornton | M /47 | Multiple lacerations to back | |
| 2015-06-24 | USA ,Surf City | Swimming | Brady Noyes | M /6 | Minor injury to foot | Sandtiger shark |
| 2015-06-14 | USA ,Oak Island, Brunswick County | Wading | Hunter Treschel | M /16 | Arm amputated below shoulder | Bull shark |
| 2015-06-14 | USA ,Oak Island, Brunswick County | Wading | Kiersten Yow | F /12 | Left arm amputated at elbow & severe injury to leg | Bull shark |
| 2015-06-11 | USA ,Ocean Isle, Brunswick County | Boogie boarding | girl | F /13 | Minor lacerations to foot | 4' shark |
| 2014-08-27 | USA ,Figure Eight Island, New Hanover County | Surfing | Hunter Anderson | M /29 | Laceration to left hand | 4' to 6' shark |
| 2014-08-24 | USA ,Off Masonboro Island, New Hanover County | Kite boarding | Miller Diggs | Laceration to left foot | 4' shark | |
| 2014-07-27 | USA ,Sunset Beach, Brunswick County | Swimming | male | M | Left foot bitten | Possibly juvenile tiger shark |
| 2014-07-12 | USA ,Masonboro Island, New Hanover County | Body surfing | Carson Jewell | M | Lacerations to hand and wrist | |
| 2013-07-11 | USA ,Holden Beach. Brunswick County | Wading | Barbara Corey | F /63 | Right foot bitten | |
| 2012-07-24 | USA ,Ocean Isle, Brunswick County | male | M /12 | Shark involvement unconfirmed | Shark involvement not confirmed | |
| 2012-07-08 | USA ,North Topsail Beach, Onslow County | Swimming | Tracy Fasick | F /43 | Lacerations to right ankle and calf | |
| 2012-06-18 | USA ,Ocean Isle, Brunswick County | Wading | Brooklyn Daniel | F /6 | Numerous puncture wounds to leg | |
| 2012-05-31 | USA ,Avon, Hatteras Island, Outer Banks, Dare County | Wading | Megan Konkler | F /33 | Foot bitten | 18" to 24" shark |
| 2011-08-24 | USA ,Buxton Beach, Dare County | Surfing | Kevin Dinneen | M /21 | Lacerations to foot | |
| 2011-08-24 | USA ,Holden Beach. Brunswick County | male | M /10 | Heel bitten | ||
| 2011-08-17 | USA ,Kure Beach, New Hanover County | Wading | Trang Aronian | F /20 | Lacerations to foot | Possibly a 5' to 6' sandtiger shark |
| 2011-08-17 | USA ,Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County | M /12 | Abrasions to left hand | Shark involvement not confirmed | ||
| 2011-07-19 | USA ,Ocracoke Island, Hyde County | Boogie Boarding | Lucy Magnum | F /6 | Lower right leg & foot bitten | |
| 2010-08-07 | USA ,Figure Eight Island, Wilmington, New Hanover County | Surfing | Josh Clement | M /25 | Left foot bitten | |
| 2010-07-17 | USA ,Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County | Swimming | Kendall Parker | F /13 | Lacerations to right forearm | Sandtiger shark, 4' to 5' |
| 2010-06-25 | USA ,Topsail Island, Pender County | Swimming | Carley Schlentz | F /13 | Laceration to left foot | |
| 2009-09-12 | USA ,Corolla, Currituck County | Swimming | Richard A Snead | M /60 | FATAL | Shark involvement prior to death not confirmed |
| 2009-07-22 | USA ,Holden Beach. Brunswick County | Swimming | Julia Anne Mittleberg | F /26 | Laceration to left foot | |
| 2008-08-24 | USA ,Surf City, Topsail Island, Pender County | Surfing | Jessica Brothers | F /20 | Calf bitten | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 2008-07-24 | USA ,Surf City, Topsail Island, Pender County | Wading | Jake Martin | M /9 | Minor lacerations to toe | 3' shark |
| 2008-07-24 | USA ,Topsail Island, Pender County | Wading | Madeline Sinsley | F /8 | Lacerations to dorsum of right foot | 3' to 4' shark |
| 2008-07-13 | USA ,Carolina Beach, New Hanover County | Body surfing | Donald Griffin | M /52 | Bruises, abrasions and some spinal and nerve damage when collided with marine animal, possibly a shark or dolphin. | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 2008-07-09 | USA ,Emerald Isle, Carteret County | Swimming | Bailleigh Foster | F /14 | Lacerations to right foot | |
| 2008-06-26 | USA ,North Topsail Beach, Onslow County | Playing in the surf | Cassidy Cartwright | F /10 | Ankle bitten | Bull shark, 6' |
| 2008-05-26 | USA ,Hammocks Beach State Park, Bear Island, Onslow County | Surfing | William Early | M /9 | Biceps & lower arm bitten | |
| 2007-08-22 | USA ,North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher | Diving | Bruce Pennington | M | Minor injury from captive shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Sand shark |
| 2007-07-18 | USA ,North Topsail Beach, Onslow County | Swimming | Matt Baker | M /14 | Right calf bitten | 2' to 3' shark |
| 2007-07-17 | USA ,Atlantic Beach, Carteret County | Wading | female | F /30 | Lacerations to right thigh & left foot | 5' shark |
| 2006-09-16 | USA ,Onslow Beach | Surfing | Jake Poland | M /16 | Laceration to left thigh | |
| 2005-09-05 | USA ,North Topsail Beach, Onslow County | Wading | Elizabeth Gardner | F /18 | Calf severely lacerated | Bull shark |
| 2005-08-12 | USA ,Carolina Beach off Texas Avenue, New Hanover County | Surfing | Chris O'Connor | M /16 | Laceration on right wrist & crescent of puncture wounds on forearm | 1.8 m [6'] shark |
| 2005-07-15 | USA ,Holden Beach, Brunswick County | Swimming | Chris Humphrey | M /22 | Lacerations of left forearm | [4.5' to 5'] shark |
| 2004-07-28 | USA ,Rodanthe, Dare County | Surfing | Catherine Delneo | F /28 | Right calf bitten | |
| 2004-07-27 | USA ,Carolina Beach, New Hanover County | Swimming | Alexis Huesgen | F /13 | Right forearm & wrist lacerated | 1.8 m [6'] shark |
| 2003-06-19 | USA ,Masonboro Island, New Hanover County | Surfing | Chris White | M /33 | Hand bitten | "sand shark" |
| 2002-08-05 | USA ,Topsail Beach, Pender County | Standing | Robert Pollan | M /14 | Leg lacerated | 1.2 m to 1.5 m [4' to 5'] shark |
| 2002-07-20 | USA ,Emerald Isle, Carteret County | Swimming | Mary Katherine Strong | F /15 | Calf bitten | Bull shark, 1.8 m to 2.1 m [6' to 7'] |
| 2002-07-04 | USA ,Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County | Standing | Avery Olearczyk | F /9 | Calf, foot & hand bitten | 1.2 m to 1.5 m [4' to 5'] shark, possibly a bull shark |
| 2001-09-15 | USA ,North Topsail Beach, Onslow County | Surfing | Dale Fulcher, Jr. | M /16 | Foot bitten | |
| 2001-09-03 | USA ,Avon, Hatteras Island, Outer Banks, Dare County | Swimming | Sergi Zaloukaev | M /28 | FATAL | A large white shark was filmed by divers on a local wreck 2 days prior to the incident. |
| 2001-09-03 | USA ,Avon, Hatteras Island, Outer Banks, Dare County | Swimming | Natalia (Natasha) Slobonskaya | F /23 | Left buttock & foot severed | A large white shark was filmed by divers on a local wreck 2 days prior to the incident. |
| 2000-10-02 | USA ,Wrightsville Beach, New Hanover County | Surfing | Mark Taylor | M /24 | Upper left arm lacerated |
How does North Carolina handle shark attack incidents?
In the event of shark attack incidents, North Carolina’s emergency services spring into immediate action, providing prompt medical aid and ensuring the safety of other beachgoers. The authorities in North Carolina also take measures to communicate the incident to the public in a timely manner to prevent further occurrences.
What should a person do if they are attacked by a shark in North Carolina?
If a person is attacked by a shark in North Carolina, they should try to defend themselves by targeting the shark’s sensitive areas such as the eyes, gills, or snout. Upon escaping, they should immediately seek medical attention in North Carolina to ensure proper treatment and recovery.
What is the role of lifeguards in preventing shark attacks in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, lifeguards play an instrumental role in preventing shark attacks by vigilantly monitoring the waters for any signs of shark activity. They are tasked with alerting swimmers or surfers in North Carolina’s waters immediately if a potential threat is identified, thereby playing a crucial role in ensuring public safety on the beaches.
