Overview
- A woman in her late 20s suffered lower-leg wounds while swimming at South Beach/Norton Point and was treated on scene before being taken to a hospital, with officials reporting her injuries as non-life-threatening on Monday, Aug. 31.
- Edgartown officials said the wounds were consistent with a bite from a marine animal and characterized them as a potential shark bite, but they stressed no shark or other marine animal was seen or confirmed in connection with the incident.
- Town personnel suspended swimming at South Beach for several hours as standard protocol after the report so lifeguards and emergency crews could assess conditions before reopening the water.
- Emergency dispatch audio obtained by ABC News captured first responders being told a swimmer had been pulled from the water and was bleeding, and local Fire, EMS and Parks staff controlled the bleeding at the scene.
- Researchers and local monitors say shark sightings rise in August as seal populations rebound, and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy’s Sharktivity recorded two white shark sightings near Martha’s Vineyard this year, though experts note the overall risk of bites to people remains low.