A Boy Scout camper was airlifted to a hospital for surgery Wednesday after he was bitten on one hand by a shark while boating near Parson’s Landing at Catalina Island.
The shark encounter was reported at 7:15 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department lifeguards.
The victim was a participant at a Boy Scout Camp in Emerald Bay, ABC7 reported, citing Boy Scout officials.
“The patient and their father were kayaking near Parson’s Landing when their boat was bumped by what is believed to be a shark of unknown size and type,” lifeguards tweeted. “During the encounter, the patient reached their hand into the water and was bit by the animal.”
The boy, whose name and age were not released, had stable vital signs, lifeguards said. But due to the nature of the injury and remote location, he was taken by helicopter to a hospital where he was undergoing surgery.
Lifeguards cleared and closed the ocean one mile in each direction of the incident for at least 24 hours, per LACFD policy.
Lifeguards also requested the assistance of a shark expert from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to identify the size and type of the shark, according to the tweet.
