Shark attack seriously injures swimmer in Monterey Bay

A shark attack in Monterey Bay left a swimmer with serious injuries Wednesday, authorities said.

The attack occurred at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, a community south of Monterey.

Pacific Grove police said that a swimmer was attacked just before 11 a.m. while in the water near Lovers Point.

The swimmer suffered major injuries to the stomach and leg, City Councilman Joe Amelia told KSBW-TV. The person was taken to a medical center in Salinas, police said.

Claire Roggeman, an 18 year old working at Pacific Grove Adventures on the beach, said she noticed someone screaming for help out in the water just 20-30 yards from the point, a popular destination for locals and toursits. Shortly after, two paddle-boarders put the injured swimmer on a board and brought him to shore. Roggeman said she saw blood trailing the man in the water.

According to Roggeman, paramedics were able to assist the swimmer, who was wearing a wetsuit and swim cap, within five minutes.

There are no current updates on the swimmer’s health.

The beach will be closed until Saturday morning, while nearby beaches are still open to the public. The shark was last seen heading towards Asilomar Beach in Pacific Grove.

The Monterey C.E.R.T., Community Emergency Response Team, will be posted at Lovers Point for the next two days, ensuring that no one goes into the water.

Sharks don't often bite humans, experts say, but when they do, it's usually because they mistake them for their typical prey or because they're feeling threatened.

As the climate changes and the ocean gets warmer, the sharks are expanding their territory, showing up farther north in greater numbers. The Central Coast has become a favorite spot for sharks.

Last year, a man was riding a bodyboard in Morro Bay when a great white shark attacked him in what is believed to be the first fatal shark attack in San Luis Obispo County in 18 years.

Kylie Lawrence contributed reporting to this story for The Press Democrat.