A surfer was left seriously injured after a shark attack off the California coast this week.
The 39-year-old man sustained injuries to both legs while surfing near Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park on the evening of March 18, according to the California State Lifeguards.
The attack happened around 5:18 p.m. local time, when the surfer was in the water before being pulled to safety by three off-duty lifeguards, who also provided immediate medical care.
He was later transported to a hospital in Fort Bragg for further treatment.
As a precaution, officials closed nearby beaches for 48 hours after the attack and posted warning signs to alert beachgoers, CSL said in a statement.
Multiple agencies responded to the incident, including the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and local paramedics.
California State Lifeguards praised the quick response, saying the incident underscores the importance of trained lifeguards along the coastline.
“Lifeguards are an important part of the EMS and first-responder network along the rural northern California coastline. Although uncommon, shark bites are one of the many different types of emergencies our lifeguards are trained to respond to and treat,” the organization posted in a statement on Instagram.
Officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have since launched an ongoing investigation.
