17-Year-Old Swimmer Bitten by 8-Foot Shark at Myrtle Beach

On the afternoon of September 4, 2004, a 17-year-old female swimmer from Virginia was injured in an unprovoked shark encounter off Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The incident occurred at approximately 3:40 PM in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 50 to 75 feet from shore in water depth of about four feet, north of Apache Pier in Horry County. The swimmer had been in the water for about 20 minutes when the incident occurred. She was facing seaward, positioned between two waves, when a shark approximately 8 feet in length approached from her right side. Her right foot was touching the sand as she stepped down with her left foot when the shark struck. The shark bit once and then released. Conditions at the time included rough, murky brown water with visibility of approximately two feet. Water temperature was recorded between 79 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The tide was falling. Approximately 80 to 100 people were on the beach with about 20 in the water at the time. A man was standing about five feet away from the victim. The bite resulted in severe injuries to the left knee and leg. The wound consisted of four to five lacerations across the left knee and two large cuts—one on the posterior upper thigh and one below the knee. Notably, the victim reported feeling no pain until after she exited the water. Lifeguards from the Horry County Police Department provided initial first aid, cleaning the wounds with peroxide and dressing them before the victim was transported by ambulance to Grand Strand Regional Medical Center. She arrived at the hospital 30 to 40 minutes after the incident. X-rays revealed a possible tooth fragment in the knee, though it could not be retrieved. Doctors characterized the injury as minor for a shark bite, and the victim was released following treatment. According to expert analysis, the bite pattern was consistent with a shark approximately 8 feet in length.