6 p.m. Update:
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia Beach Safety officials said another shark bit a man shortly before 4:15 p.m. in New Smyrna Beach.
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The 26-year-old man from Sarasota was bitten on his left foot while he was wading in
Officials said his injuries were not life-threatening, and he received initial treatment before being taken to the hospital.
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Between Wednesday and Thursday, 287 people were pulled safely from the ocean in Volusia County.
Volusia Beach Safety Captain Tammy Malphurs said about 80 percent of those were rip current-related.
On Wednesday, a man from West Virginia drowned while on vacation with his family in Daytona Beach.
The next day in New Smyrna Beach, a shark bit a man from Ohio in knee-deep water. He is expected to be OK.
Read: Shark bites man at New Smyrna Beach
That shark bite marks the third in Volusia County so far this year.
“When you’re in the water and you see bait fish running or birds diving down, you might want to leave that area temporarily. The shark bite yesterday was a case of mistaken identity,” said Malphurs.
Channel 9 spotted a group of sharks in Ponce Inlet from above in the Volusia Sheriff’s chopper. We also boarded one of the Sheriff’s boats and watched as deputies patrolled the intercoastal waterway.
Read: Ride along: How the Volusia sheriff’s office is keeping beachgoers safe on the 4th
Sheriff Mike Chitwood calls this holiday weekend one of the most dangerous to be out on the water.
“Speeding, jet skis going through no wake zones, BWI – boating while under the influence,” said Chitwood.
All of the crowds on our coast can also be a positive thing. Malphurs can’t remember the last time the area was this packed.
Read: Officials remind residents of beach safety for Fourth of July
“That means that people are flocking to our beach. It’s a great beach. We have a lot of room. We have 47 miles of beach, so people are coming!” said Malphurs.
She reminds beachgoers to swim in front of staffed lifeguard towers and to always check the Volusia Beaches app for real-time information on current ocean conditions, lifeguard locations, and open or closed beach access ramps.
See how the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office patrolled the beaches on the Fourth of July in the video below:
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