Texas Teen Attacked by Shark While Boating with Father

A teenager from Texas is in recovery after a shark bit him during a boating trip with his father on Memorial Day weekend. The attack happened at around 3:15 p.m. on Monday, when Galveston County Sheriff’s Office reached out to the U.S. Coast Guard with reports of a 17-year-old boy bitten by a shark off Galveston Island’s coast, as reported by ABC 13.

The young victim, his father, and another person were on a boat approximately two hours offshore when the incident took place, according to FOX 61. Authorities noted that the shark bit the teen while he attempted to pull it onto the boat.

In response to the shark bite, the boy’s father promptly applied a tourniquet to his son’s wound. He then navigated the boat toward the Galveston Yacht Basin. However, the vessel became disabled near the jetties in the Gulf, prompting an emergency response from the Coast Guard. Rescue crews arrived and applied a second tourniquet to control the bleeding before transporting the teen back to land.

The group was heading back to Galveston Island after the attack when their boat malfunctioned, contributing to the delay in reaching medical help. The teen was conscious upon reaching the shore and was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch for treatment, ABC 13 noted.

Details about the exact nature of the injuries or the type of shark involved remain undisclosed by authorities. Both the U.S. Coast Guard and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office have not provided further comments.

The incident underscores the potential dangers present while boating and interacting with marine life. Quick action by the boy’s father and the Coast Guard’s timely intervention were crucial in managing the situation.