Massachusetts May Have Just Seen First Shark Bite in Years

Beachgoers at Martha's Vineyard saw South Beach briefly shut down Monday after a woman in her late 20s was injured in a possible shark encounter. Edgartown officials say the swimmer was hurt around 1:40pm at Norton Point, suffering leg wounds consistent with a bite from a shark or other marine animal, though no animal was actually seen, per NBC News. Her injuries were not life-threatening and did not involve an amputation, town administrator James Hagerty said.

The beach was closed to swimmers for several hours while conditions were evaluated in line with protocol for a suspected shark encounter, per WCVB. Hagerty thanked first responders and staff, and urged people to stay alert in the water and follow lifeguard directions and posted advisories. As the Cape Cod Times reports, Norton Point is home to bait fish and seals, which attract marine predators, including white sharks. If confirmed, this would be the first reported shark bite in Massachusetts since 2018, per the outlet.