Cape Cod Shark Attack Injures Man

TRURO, MA – A man who was bitten by a shark while swimming off Cape Cod Wednesday afternoon is in serious condition, according to Tufts Medical Center. The attack happened at 4:15 p.m. approximately 300 yards south of Long Nook Beach in Truro, police said.

The victim was flown to the hospital with “puncture wounds” to his torso and leg, Assistant Harbormaster Gary Sharpless told the Associated Press. He was identified Thursday as 61-year-old William Lytton, of Scarsdale, NY.

Lytton said he was standing in the water about 30 yards offshore when he was bitten, according to Truro police. Truro Fire Chief Tim Collins told reporters Lytton was “conscious and talking” when he was hospitalized.

“We offer wishes for a full recovery to the victim of today’s shark bite and convey our sincere sympathy to him and his family,” the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said in a statement.

A swimming ban has been called at least four times in Truro this summer due to a shark sighting close to shore. Long Nook Beach will be closed at least through Friday.

The shark attack is Cape Cod’s first since July 2012, when a Colorado man was bitten off Ballston Beach in Truro, the Associated Press reported.

“Encounters with white sharks in which people suffer injuries are as terrifying as they are rare,” the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy said. “While we still don’t know all of the details of this particular bite, sharks are not known to target people specifically and when they do bite people it’s usually a case of mistaken identity. Sharks ‘test the waters’ with their teeth, much like we use our hands. It’s how they determine if what they encounter is prey or something to avoid.”

See Also: Shark Sighting Closes Cape Cod Beach Again

Photo: Beachgoers help carry the shark bite victim up Long Nook Beach. Courtesy of Twitter user Mary Ellen, used with permission.

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