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A Navy base employee is in critical condition after being attacked by a shark near the marina at Naval Support Activity Panama City in Florida on Monday (June 8), according to officials. The incident took place around 11:45 a.m., when the man, who is in his late twenties and has worked at the base for four years, was swimming with a colleague during their lunch break. The second person was not injured, according to Tristan Oliveria, commanding officer of the base.
Emergency responders were initially called for a possible drowning, but upon arrival, they determined the man had suffered severe injuries to both arms from a shark bite. Base Fire and Emergency Services transported him to HCA Gulf Coast Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Hospital officials said the victim is now out of surgery and may be moved to a trauma center for further treatment.
Authorities from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are investigating the attack. Commanding officer Oliveria said, "First and foremost, our prayers and thoughts go out to the family, and we want to send our appreciation to the first responders who rendered initial aid and made sure that the victim was properly and expeditiously taken to HCA Gulf Coast Hospital, and we continue to have the safety of all our personnel paramount in all the operations we do on base."
Dr. John Carlson, a NOAA research biologist, noted that while sharks are commonly seen in the Florida Panhandle during summer, attacks are rare. He told WJHG that the region’s coastal waters are nursery areas for several shark species, but the risk for humans remains extremely low. Carlson advises swimmers to avoid murky waters, stay out of the water at dawn and dusk, and steer clear of fishing areas.