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 / Time | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
07-27-2021 13h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Arik Nekrazov | M /15 | Lower left leg bitten | |
06-27-2021 11h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | female | F /7 | Calf bitten | |
04-17-2021 | USA ,North Carolina | Tagging sharks | fishing boat Sarah Brent | No injury to occupants, shark bit boat after being tagged | Mako shark, 4 juvenile | |
10-21-2020 Sunset | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Erik Martynuik | M | Laceration to knee and foot | Shark involvement not confirmed |
08-01-2020 14h00-15h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Jphn Dodge | M /54 | No Injury, but board bitten | |
07-22-2020 17h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Treading water | male | M | Left calf & foot bitten | Bull shark. 6.5' |
06-20-2020 16h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Body Surfing | Nick Arthur | M /16 | Injury to thigh | |
01-13-2020 14h33 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Samuel Horne | M /26 | Lacerations to foot | |
07-30-2019 | USA ,North Carolina | Fishing | Rick Caton | M | Arc of punctures to lower right leg by hooked shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Blacktip shark, 5' |
07-16-2019 16h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Body-surfing | Melissa Chase | F | Ankle bitten | shark pup |
06-16-2019 16h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | male | M /8 | Puncture wounds to leg | |
06-10-2019 14h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Austin Reed | M /19 | Cuts to right foot | |
06-02-2019 12h20 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Paige Winter | F /17 | Severe injuries to leg and hand | |
08-18-2018 10h47 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | male | M /14 | Injury to right lower leg | |
08-05-2018 10h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming/Standing | female | F | Injury to right calf | |
08-05-2018 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Edward Donohue | M /16 | Injury to calf | Said to involve a blacktip shark |
06-25-2016 14h34 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | male | M /11 | Foot injured | |
06-11-2016 15h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Dillon Bowen | M /19 | Laceration to wrist | 3' shark |
07-04-2015 Evening | USA ,North Carolina | a marine | M /32 | Lacerations to right hand & forearm | ||
07-01-2015 12h10 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Andrew Costello | M /68 | Injuries to torso, hip, lower leg & hands | 6' to 7' shark |
06-27-2015 16h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | John Cole | M /18 | Injuries to right calf, buttock and both hands | Bull shark |
06-25-2015 11h41 | USA ,North Carolina | Body surfing? | Patrick Thornton | M /47 | Multiple lacerations to back | |
06-24-2015 12h25 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Brady Noyes | M /6 | Minor injury to foot | Sandtiger shark |
06-14-2015 17h51 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Hunter Treschel | M /16 | Arm amputated below shoulder | Bull shark |
06-14-2015 16h12 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Kiersten Yow | F /12 | Left arm amputated at elbow & severe injury to leg | Bull shark |
06-11-2015 12h45 | USA ,North Carolina | Boogie boarding | girl | F /13 | Minor lacerations to foot | 4' shark |
08-27-2014 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Hunter Anderson | M /29 | Laceration to left hand | 4' to 6' shark |
08-24-2014 | USA ,North Carolina | Kite boarding | Miller Diggs | Laceration to left foot | 4' shark | |
07-27-2014 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | male | M | Left foot bitten | Possibly juvenile tiger shark |
07-12-2014 | USA ,North Carolina | Body surfing | Carson Jewell | M | Lacerations to hand and wrist | |
07-11-2013 15h20 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Barbara Corey | F /63 | Right foot bitten | |
07-24-2012 11h45 | USA ,North Carolina | male | M /12 | Shark involvement unconfirmed | Shark involvement not confirmed | |
07-08-2012 17h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Tracy Fasick | F /43 | Lacerations to right ankle and calf | |
06-18-2012 11h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Brooklyn Daniel | F /6 | Numerous puncture wounds to leg | |
05-31-2012 13h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Megan Konkler | F /33 | Foot bitten | 18 to 24 shark |
08-24-2011 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Kevin Dinneen | M /21 | Lacerations to foot | |
08-24-2011 15h30 | USA ,North Carolina | male | M /10 | Heel bitten | ||
08-17-2011 16h00 | USA ,North Carolina | M /12 | Abrasions to left hand | Shark involvement not confirmed | ||
08-17-2011 17h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Trang Aronian | F /20 | Lacerations to foot | Possibly a 5' to 6' sandtiger shark |
07-19-2011 17h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Boogie Boarding | Lucy Magnum | F /6 | Lower right leg & foot bitten | |
08-07-2010 15h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Josh Clement | M /25 | Left foot bitten | |
07-17-2010 13h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Kendall Parker | F /13 | Lacerations to right forearm | Sandtiger shark, 4' to 5' |
06-25-2010 13h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Carley Schlentz | F /13 | Laceration to left foot | |
09-12-2009 21h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Richard A Snead | M /60 | FATAL | Shark involvement prior to death not confirmed |
07-22-2009 15h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Julia Anne Mittleberg | F /26 | Laceration to left foot | |
08-24-2008 18h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Jessica Brothers | F /20 | Calf bitten | Shark involvement not confirmed |
07-24-2008 13h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Madeline Sinsley | F /8 | Lacerations to dorsum of right foot | 3' to 4' shark |
07-24-2008 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Jake Martin | M /9 | Minor lacerations to toe | 3' shark |
07-13-2008 | USA ,North Carolina | 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 |
07-09-2008 19h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Bailleigh Foster | F /14 | Lacerations to right foot | |
06-26-2008 Afternoon | USA ,North Carolina | Playing in the surf | Cassidy Cartwright | F /10 | Ankle bitten | Bull shark, 6' |
05-26-2008 15h50 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | William Early | M /9 | Biceps & lower arm bitten | |
08-22-2007 | USA ,North Carolina | Diving | Bruce Pennington | M | Minor injury from captive shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Sand shark |
07-18-2007 12h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Matt Baker | M /14 | Right calf bitten | 2' to 3' shark |
07-17-2007 13h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | female | F /30 | Lacerations to right thigh & left foot | 5' shark |
09-16-2006 Morning | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Jake Poland | M /16 | Laceration to left thigh | |
08-01-2006 12h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Miriam Picklesimer | F /59 | Lacerations & punctures to left foot | |
09-05-2005 15h20 | USA ,North Carolina | Wading | Elizabeth Gardner | F /18 | Calf severely lacerated | Bull shark |
08-12-2005 11h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Chris O'Connor | M /16 | Laceration on right wrist & crescent of puncture wounds on forearm | 1.8 m [6'] shark |
07-15-2005 16h40 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Chris Humphrey | M /22 | Lacerations of left forearm | [4.5' to 5'] shark |
07-28-2004 17h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Catherine Delneo | F /28 | Right calf bitten | |
07-27-2004 17h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Alexis Huesgen | F /13 | Right forearm & wrist lacerated | 1.8 m [6'] shark |
06-19-2003 Late afternoon | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Chris White | M /33 | Hand bitten | sand shark |
08-05-2002 11h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Robert Pollan | M /14 | Leg lacerated | 1.2 m to 1.5 m [4' to 5'] shark |
07-20-2002 17h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Mary Katherine Strong | F /15 | Calf bitten | Bull shark, 1.8 m to 2.1 m [6' to 7'] |
07-04-2002 17h15 | USA ,North Carolina | Standing | Avery Olearczyk | F /9 | Calf, foot & hand bitten | 1.2 m to 1.5 m [4' to 5'] shark, possibly a bull shark |
09-15-2001 13h45 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Dale Fulcher, Jr. | M /16 | Foot bitten | |
09-03-2001 18h00 | USA ,North Carolina | 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. |
09-03-2001 18h00 | USA ,North Carolina | Swimming | Sergi Zaloukaev | M /28 | FATAL | A large white shark was filmed by divers on a local wreck 2 days prior to the incident. |
10-02-2000 16h30 | USA ,North Carolina | Surfing | Mark Taylor | M /24 | Upper left arm lacerated |
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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.