Footage circulating online apparently shows one of multiple shark attacks reported at South Padre Island Thursday as Hurricane Beryl brought stormy conditions to the Gulf of Mexico.
The island is located off the coast of Southern Texas. In the graphic video, shared with KRLD blood stained water lapped up on the beach as people pulled a woman out of the water. Fins could be seen in the background. Here is the video, posted by Erasmo Castro on Facebook.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Authorities confirmed there were multiple shark attacks reported near the island Thursday.
“One report came in at around 11 a.m. of a man suffering a severe shark bite to the leg near the 4100 block of Gulf Boulevard,” according to KRGV. “According to city of South Padre Island spokesperson Nikki Soto, the South Padre Island fire and police department provided immediate treatment to the victim, and he was transported to a nearby hospital.”
Per the outlet, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Captain Chris Dowdy said there have been two cases of actual shark bites.
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reported that two people were bitten by what is believed to be the same shark, and another two people encountered the shark but were not seriously hurt,” said CBS News. “Two victims were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas, one of whom was later airlifted to another hospital, the agency said. Their conditions were not confirmed, and their names were not released.”
South Padre Island Fire Chief Jim Pigg said that three of the victims were hospitalized and the fourth was treated at the scene for minor injuries, CBS reported.
According to Dowdy, some of the attacks were associated with the same shark which has since escaped to open waters. Authorities are not expected to contain that shark. Pigg also explained that the shark was pushed out to deeper water.
Hurricane Beryl just became the Category 4 storm ever recorded in June and this weekend it is causing hurricane-force winds, a dangerous storm surge and heavy rainfall over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s expected to make landfall soon.
“A handful of scientific studies, dating back at least two decades, suggests that sharks can detect a hurricane… hours and possibly days before it arrives, rivaling human storm forecasting. Some sharks flee. Others stay put. Both approaches help these predators survive,” said a 2023 report from Vox.
Regarding the attacks off San Padre Island, Dr. Kelsey Banks – an associate research scientist with the Center for Sportfish Science and Conservation at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi – said video she saw suggested a larger shark species in an email to CBS News. Pigg said authorities do not know the species of the shark or why it attacked people.
“It’s unprecedented right here on South Padre Island,” he added.
News 4 San Antonio reported that the U.S. Coast Guard issued a warning advising beachgoers not to go in the water.