Southern California beach closed after shark attack

FILE PHOTO: A great white shark swims at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s million-gallon, multi-species Outer Bay Exhibit in Monterey, Calif. Scientists with a Boston aquarium are encouraging beachgoers to report sightings of white sharks after signs of shark bites were observed on multiple marine mammals. (AP Photo/Salinas Californian, Richard Green, file)

DEL MAR, Calif. – A 46-year-old man was attacked by a shark over the weekend, prompting temporary beach closures in Del Mar, authorities have announced.

The attack occurred Sunday about 100 yards offshore from the Beach Safety Center at 17th Street, according to the city.

“The victim was transported by ambulance to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla with injuries that are significant but not believed to be life-threatening. The injuries included bites to the torso, left arm and hand,” the city reported.

Lifeguards temporarily closed beaches for swimming and surfing one mile in both directions from the incident, roughly from Sixth Street to North Beach. A water closure was in effect until Tuesday.

The victim was in a group of about a dozen swimmers who meet regularly to train in Del Mar, city officials said.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, a shark knocked a surfer off his board off the coast of San Clemente, prompting authorities to close the water to swimmers.

According to city officials, the ocean water was closed off “due to confirmed aggressive shark behavior” in the water in the vicinity of T-Street Beach.

In New England, scientists with a Boston aquarium encouraged beachgoers to report sightings of white sharks over the holiday weekend after signs of shark bites were observed on multiple marine mammals.

Summer has begun, and beach weather is a good reason to be on the lookout for the white sharks, said John Chisholm, an adjunct scientist at the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life.

White sharks, often referred to as great whites, were made famous by the 1970s hit movie “Jaws.” They roam the ocean searching for their favorite food, marine mammals, and were once hunted without discrimination. (With CNS report)