Diving trip turns tragic: 15-year-old girl loses leg in shark attack
A 15-year-old American girl was attacked by a shark while vacationing with her family in Belize. A local official said she is in “stable” condition and “recovering.”
Annabelle Carlson, 15, was attacked by a shark while vacationing in Belize and lost her leg on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, according to reports. ABC News.
The attack happened in the morning during a dive with Belize Dive Pro near Halfmoon Caye. Coast Guard Sgt. Elton Bennett said his right leg was bitten by a 6-foot reef shark. Her mother, Kelly, confirmed that it was her eldest daughter, not the youngest, as authorities initially reported.
Rare attacks
Annabelle was rescued by witnesses and taken to hospital, before being taken to the Coast Guard station where she was given first aid. She was then airlifted to the nearest hospital where she is in stable condition.
Authorities have stressed that shark attacks in Belize are rare. Economy Minister Andre Perez said it was an unusual phenomenon, although shark attacks are on the rise worldwide.
According to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File, there were 69 unprovoked shark bites in 2023, up from 63 in 2022, most of them in the United States. The increase in attacks is attributed to overfishing and warming water temperatures, which are pushing sharks closer to shore.