A 17-year-old was hospitalized after a shark bite during a boating trip off the shore of Galveston, Texas, over Memorial Day weekend. After the boat reportedly became disabled, the U.S. Coast Guard responded and paramedics transported the teen to a hospital fo
A boating trip off the shore of Galveston, Texas, turned into a rescue operation over Memorial Day weekend when a 17-year-old boy was bitten by a shark.
The incident happened on May 25, according to local reports. The teenager was boating several hours away from shore with his father and one other person. Shortly after 3 p.m. local time, the group called authorities for help.
What caused the bite was unclear. What followed was a sudden, urgent scramble to get the injured teen to safety. As the group tried to make it back toward shore, the boat reportedly became “disabled,” prompting a response from the U.S. Coast Guard, the reports said.
After the bite, the teenager’s father applied a tourniquet to help stop the bleeding, authorities said, according to the same local reporting. When Coast Guard crew members arrived, they reportedly applied a second tourniquet before bringing the teen back to shore.
Paramedics then transferred the boy to a hospital for treatment. The outlets said the teenager was alert and conscious when he was brought back to shore, though the extent of his injuries was not clear.
The case is already being tracked closely by local media as investigators and responders piece together how a shark bite occurred far enough offshore to leave the family with an immediate emergency and a disabled vessel as they waited for the rescue.
Galveston shark bite 17-year-old hospitalized U.S. Coast Guard rescue Memorial Day weekend boating incident tourniquet applied
Sharks are getting way too comfortable in Texas waters.
They said the boat was disabled… like did the shark bite the engine too or what? Either way tourniquet on the spot is wild.
I don’t get how a shark bite happened “hours away from shore” if they weren’t that far out. Also tourniquet?? I swear I saw something online that says tourniquets aren’t supposed to be used for bites unless it’s like… arterial bleeding? Not saying I’m right just confused.
Memorial Day weekend and a boat disabled?? Sounds like bad luck on bad luck. Why would they be that far out with no backup, like no trolling, no safety plan, nothing. Coast Guard shows up and then second tourniquet… I hope the kid is ok, but I bet it was all avoidable if they stayed closer to shore.