Watch CBS News

Boy, 16, Reports Being Bitten By Shark In Del.

LEWES, Del. (WJZ) -- A shark grabbed hold of a teenager swimming at a Delaware state park. That teen is recovering but the attack has left some beachgoers on edge.

Denise Koch has more.

A chopper flew through the sky. Inside was a marine biologist, scouting out the water and looking for sharks.

"The boy was holding his hand up in the air. It was wrapped in bandages here and the hand was all wrapped and you could see that it was all bloodied," said Suzanne Blasko. "And as we got closer, the boy said to us, `There's a shark out in the water.'"

Blasko was entering the beach right as the injured 16-year-old was leaving.

The teen was standing in about five feet of water at Cape Henlopen State Park when he felt something grab his arm.

The shark released its bite and swam away.

The boy is expected to recover.

Mother of three Kelly Zitzer says that she's concerned.

"It definitely gives me anxiety now that I'm a parent. I have three little boys who are out in the water," she said.

But back on the sand, not even a shark attack can keep some families from enjoying the beach.

The beach was closed until about 1 p.m. Tuesday, when it was deemed safe. Officials believe the teen was bitten by a juvenile sandbar shark and are treating this as an isolated incident.

Other Local News:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.