Shark attack witness: ‘It was surreal’

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — A 13-year-old is recovering from several wounds after a reported shark attack at Ocean Isle Beach Thursday afternoon.

Dozens of people were on the beach, and many of them saw what happened and took pictures. One vacationer was swimming in the water with the teen who was bitten.

“We come here every year, and we’ve never seen a shark here, like ever before,” Jayda Burnette said.

Burnette said she met the 13-year-old girl while she was sitting near her family on the beach. They decided to go swimming together.

“We were just in the water boogie boarding, and I was getting out,” Burnette said.

That’s when she said she heard the other girl scream.

“She started yelling, ‘Shark!’ and her foot was bleeding and she was holding the boogie board,” Burnette said.

At that moment, another person on the beach, Alexa Whittemore, said she saw the shark start attacking, but she said it was not attacking the girl.

“There was a rustle-bustle, and everyone crowded around,” Whittemore said. “The girl wobbled out and left the boogie board, and the shark just went at the boogie board.”

It was a shocking moment for Burnette, Whittemore and many others at the beach.

“I didn’t really believe it,” Burnette said.

“It was surreal,” Whittemore said. “It was definitely surreal.”

It left many of them wondering if the girl would be OK.

“I was like, I just hope she has her legs, because I felt so bad for her,” Whittemore said. “She was so young.”

Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith said the young girl suffered a few lacerations on her foot, but was not severely hurt. The boogie board, though, might have to be replaced. Witnesses added that they may be enjoying the sun and surf from the sand.

WWAY reached out to the hospital to see how the teen is doing. At this time, they will not release her name or her condition.