Rescue officials said the teen’s father acted quickly and applied a tourniquet to help stop the bleeding immediately after the attack.
Galveston, Texas — A 17-year-old He was hospitalized after being bitten by a shark A few miles offshore near Galveston, Texas.
Rescue officials said the incident occurred far from the shoreline and was not related to beach activity.
The U.S. Coast Guard said crews received a call Monday afternoon that the teen was bitten on a boat with his father and another person about two hours offshore.
Authorities said the boy’s father acted quickly and applied a tourniquet immediately after the attack to help stop the bleeding.
As the group attempted to return to shore, officials said the boat became unusable in the bay, prompting a Coast Guard rescue operation.
When Coast Guard personnel arrived, they applied a tourniquet a second time and then brought the teen back to land, where first responders took him to the University of Texas Medical Branch for treatment.
Officials said the teen was conscious when rescuers brought him to shore.
Authorities have not yet released details of the teen’s injuries, the exact location of the bite or the type of shark that was bitten.
The Galveston Beach Patrol also responded and emphasized that the incident did not occur near the beach.
As of Monday evening, authorities had not released updated information on the teen’s condition.
