The Latest: California shark victim in critical condition
ENCINITAS, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a shark attack at a Southern California beach (all times local):
4:37 p.m.
A 13-year-old boy attacked by a shark along the Southern California coast is in critical but stable condition.
Spokesman Carlos Delgado of Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego released the boy's condition late Saturday afternoon, more than nine hours after the attack.
The boy underwent surgery but no other information, including his name, is being released.
The boy was attacked at 6:55 a.m. off Beacon's Beach in the city of Encinitas, north of San Diego.
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11:55 a.m.
Southern California authorities have closed several miles of beach following a shark attack that injured a boy who was diving for lobsters.
The attack occurred around 7 a.m. Saturday at Beacon's Beach in the Leucadia area of Encinitas, a city north of San Diego.
Encinitas Lifeguard Capt. Larry Giles says the 13-year-old boy suffered traumatic injuries, but he describes it as a nonfatal attack.
The victim was immediately hauled aboard a kayak by three others who were in the water on opening day of the spiny lobster season.
The boy was brought ashore and flown by helicopter to a trauma center.
Giles says the rescuers were an off-duty police officer, an off-duty and a third person who were also lobster diving.
Witnesses estimated the shark was about 11 feet (3.3 meters) long, but Giles says the species hasn't been determined.
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10:46 a.m.
A teenage boy has been bitten by a shark at a Southern California beach.
Fox 5 San Diego reports the attack occurred around 7 a.m. Saturday at Beacon's Beach in Encinitas, north of San Diego.
Witness Chad Hammel tells the TV station the victim was lobster diving.
Hammel says he heard screaming and then realized the boy was yelling, "I got bit!" Hammel was also lobster diving with a group, and they pulled the boy onto a kayak and headed to shore as the shark followed.
The group applied pressure to the wounds while beachgoers called paramedics, who put the victim in a helicopter.
A message seeking official information was left at a phone number for an Encinitas public information officer.
California's spiny lobster season opened at 6 a.m. Saturday.
