A snorkeler was attacked and bitten by a 10ft bull shark in the Florida Keys “almost immediately” after he got into the water.
Andrew Eddy, 30, suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital in Miami after the shark bit his shoulder as he and his family were out on a private boat.
Authorities say that Mr Eddy, who is from Atlanta, Georgia, was exploring a reef at Sombrero Key Light, near Marathon, with his family when the attack happened.
Family members performed first aid until rescuers could get to the scene and Mr Eddy’s condition remains unknown.
“Witnesses stated Mr Eddy was attacked almost immediately after entering the water,” Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Officials say that nobody was fishing or had baited the waters where the attack occurred, but the shark had been spotted in the area earlier by boaters.
No other incidents have been reported.
“This was a very rare medical crisis for the Florida Keys, but everyone came together, including those witnesses on the boat to 911 communicators to all our emergency responders, in order to ensure this victim received life-saving care,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.
So far in 2020 there have been 28 reported shark attacks in the US, with 18 taking place in Florida, according to data from "trackingsharks.com."
Of those 28 attacks only two, one in California and one in Maine, have been fatal.
