MIAMI, Fla. — The United States Coast rescued a man from a boat Monday after he was bitten by a shark while fishing near the Bahamas.
>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<
The crew of the “Shear Water” fishing boat contacted the Coast Guard’s Miami sector just before 1 p.m. reporting a 51-year-old man who had been bitten on the arm by a shark.
READ: Central Florida woman accused of stealing from elderly in Flagler County, deputies say
The crew advised the Coast Guard that they’d applied a tourniquet to help stop the man’s bleeding.
Coast Guard watchstanders and a flight surgeon from the Coast Guard’s Seventh District joined a conference call where a medical evacuation of the man was recommended and a Coast Guard helicopter and airplane were sent to the scene.
READ: Orlando Police Department kicked out of program to help stop officer misconduct
The helicopter crew arrived on scene, lifted the man from the boat and transferred him to emergency medical crews who were waiting for him at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami where he was stabilized.
The plane assisted with the helicopter crew’s communications.
“This was the best possible outcome to a truly terrifying situation,” Coast Guard District Seven command duty officer Sean Connett said. “This individual was fortunate a fellow crew member was able to render aid prior to the Coast Guard’s arrival, which allowed for a quick extraction from the vessel.”
Watch the rescue below:
This browser does not support the video element.
Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.