ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (KRON/WCBD) — A 9-year-old boy is recovering after he was bitten by a shark on Tuesday off the Isle of Palms in South Carolina.
The boy was bitten in the leg and was rushed to a hospital where he was treated and released.
The latest incident comes as the East Coast has seen a spike in shark attacks recently. Since just Friday at least two swimmers have been injured in shark attacks in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
A possible third swimmer was bitten by what emergency officials are currently describing as “marine life,” off Ocracoke Island on Wednesday afternoon.
Some speculate a rise in beach fishing is leading to the increased attacks. Marine life experts say weather and water currents can be major factors. They say attacks are much more likely when the water temperature reaches 80 degrees Fahrenheit and when strong currents flow north along the coast, bringing bait fish closer to shore.