Wader Bitten on Hand by 4-5ft Shark at Jamaica Beach, Galveston

On the evening of May 28, 2024, a 19-year-old woman was wading in waist-deep water with family members near Jamaica Beach on Galveston Island, Texas, when she was bitten by a shark. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. during strong wave conditions in the Gulf of Mexico. As the woman turned to head back toward shore, a tan-colored shark estimated at 4-5 feet in length latched onto her left hand. She responded instinctively by punching the shark until it released her. Due to the splashing water and wave action, nearby family members initially did not realize what was happening. Upon freeing herself from the shark, the woman immediately alerted her family to exit the water and ran to shore. Her father applied a towel to help control bleeding while her mother called 911. A medical professional who was present on the beach provided initial assistance before Galveston Emergency Medical Services arrived and transported her to the hospital by ambulance. Medical examination revealed severe injuries to her left hand, including four severed tendons. The wound was cleaned and stitched, and she was admitted on a course of antibiotics. Two days after the bite, she underwent surgical repair at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)/John Sealy Hospital. Following surgery, her hand was placed in a cast, and she was prescribed several weeks of restricted movement followed by physical and occupational therapy. Despite the severity of the initial injury, medical professionals expected her to make a full recovery with appropriate rehabilitation. The shark species was not definitively identified. This was classified as an unprovoked incident.