Southeast
Florida beach vacation hotspot closed after back-to-back shark attacks
Florida man recounts Bahamas shark attack
Marlin Wakeman, 24, fell into a “shark den” after a misstep at the Bahamas dock where he was working on April 26. He was swarmed by 20 sharks when he hit the water, he said, but he managed to wrest himself away. (Credit: WSVN)
Miles of sugar-white sand beaches and turquoise waters were closed down in Florida after two back-to-back shark attacks.
According to a press conference by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the successive shark attacks were in “close proximity” to one another on Friday afternoon.
“We experienced two separate incidents earlier this afternoon in relative proximity to one another, about four miles apart and within an hour and a half from one another,” South Walton Fire District Fire Chief Ryan Crawford said.
Law enforcement did not specify what type of sharks were part of the attacks.
SHARK ATTACK OFF CALIFORNIA COAST LEAVES 46-YEAR-MAN HOSPITALIZED, BEACHES CLOSED
Law enforcement remove a shark attack victim from Walton County, Florida beaches on June 7, 2024. (Walton County Sheriff)
Walton County Fire Rescue and South Walton Fire District responded to reports on Friday afternoon at 1:20 p.m. that a 45-year-old woman was attacked by a shark while enjoying the popular tourist destination.
Authorities said that the woman was swimming just beyond a sandbar with her husband when she was suddenly attacked.
She received “significant trauma to the midsection and pelvic area and amputation of her left lower arm,” Crawford said.
The South Walton Fire District transported the victim by helicopter to a nearby trauma hospital. Authorities said she was in “critical condition.”
There were approximately 70 to 80 unprovoked shark bites each year worldwide over the past decade, with only 57 unprovoked bites in 2022. (Getty Images)
At 2:56 p.m., the Walton County Sheriff’s Office announced that they had responded to a second shark accident at Seacrest Creek beach.
According to the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, two female teenagers, who were between 15-years-old and 17-years-old, were attacked by a shark.
FLORIDA IS NAMED THE SHARK ATTACK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
Crawford said that, similarly to the first attack, the victims were swimming by a sandbar in waist-deep water before they were attacked.
“Victim one received significant injuries to one lower and one upper extremity,” Crawford said. “Both [bites] required the application of tourniquets.”
She was airlifted to a trauma center in Pensacola, Florida, authorities said. She remains in “critical condition,” authorities said.
The second teen victim received flash wounds to foot, and was taken by ambulance in stable condition, Crawford said.
A shark swims through the water during an outing with scuba company Emerald Charters off Jupiter Inlet, Florida, U.S., May 18, 2022. (REUTERS/Sam Wolfe)
Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said that the two victims have a “fighting chance” due to the “continuity of care” by first responders.
“One of the important things to realize in these types of situations is the continuity of care,” Adkinson said in the press conference. “This seamless operation between the folks at South Walton Fire District and the deputies at Walton County Sheriffs Office and Walton Air Rescue.”
“I think these two ladies have a fighting chance because of that professionalism,” he added.
A sand path to the beach at Fort Pierce Inlet State Park. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Following the successive shark attacks, Walton County closed several miles of Gulf of Mexico waters.
“Double red flags are now flying on the beaches in the surrounding area,” the Walton County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post. “The Gulf is now closed to the public in Walton County in the localized area of the incident.”
Adkinson said that they are in contact with area shark experts to discuss if there is an anomaly in the attacks.
“We know that we share the waters with sharks,” he said. “We understand that, as tragic as this is, there are always sharks in these waters, and we have to be careful and cognizant of that.”
With 26 miles of stunning beaches, Walton County is on the Northwest Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico.
Popular beaches in Walton County include: Seagrove beach, Rosemary beach, Santa Rosa beach, Grayton Beach State Park, Inlet beach, Blue Mountain beach, Miramar beach, and others.
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Southeast
Florida driver hits student with her truck, covers license plate before fleeing, deputies say
A Florida woman was arrested after she allegedly struck a teenager who was crossing the road with her truck, covered her license plate and sped off.
Sarah Wright, 37, was arrested Thursday and charged with leaving the scene of a crash with injuries and driving with a suspended license.
The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. at the intersection of Gage Avenue and Noah Street in Deltona, Florida, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
The victim, a 16-year-old boy, was riding his scooter home from Pine Ridge High School when he was struck by a black Chevrolet Silverado as he was using the crosswalk, the sheriff’s office said.
FLORIDA MAN BERATED, PHYSICALLY ABUSED CHILD FOR NEARLY 30 MINUTES OVER MISSING COUCH CUSHION: DEPUTIES
Sarah Wright, 37, is facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash with injuries and driving with a suspended license. (Flagler County Jail)
The teenager fell to the ground, resulting in a serious laceration to the back of his head as well as an arm injury, but he remained alert and conscious after the incident.
A witness reported that she was checking her mailbox nearby when she heard the crash. She told investigators that the suspect, later identified as Wright, exited her truck after the crash and checked on the boy before she went back to her vehicle and covered her license plate with paper and tape.
But the witness still managed to see the first character of her tag. A neighborhood Ring camera also captured the truck fleeing the scene.
A witness managed to see the first character on the truck’s tag and a neighborhood Ring camera captured the vehicle fleeing the scene. (Volusia County Sheriff’s Office)
The victim and the witness were also able to provide a detailed description of the suspect.
Officials were then able to locate a suspect vehicle captured on a nearby License Plate Reader camera within minutes.
Wright was found in Flagler County and taken into custody with assistance from Florida Highway Patrol and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
FLORIDA SHERIFF MOURNS ‘REALLY GREAT’ DEPUTY KILLED DURING TRAFFIC STOP; SUSPECT LATER KILLED
Sarah Wright was booked into the Flagler County Jail on a $3,500 bond. (iStock)
She was booked into the Flagler County Jail on a $3,500 bond.
The teenage victim required staples for the laceration and treatment for his arm injury, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
Read the full article from Here
A child was hospitalized on Saturday after being hit by a drone that was part of an Orlando, Florida holiday drone show.
According to the Orlando Fire Department, a 7-year-old boy was transported to the hospital because of injuries sustained from the falling drones, FOX 35 in Orlando reported.
In a video posted online by X user MosquitoCoFl, hundreds of drones being used as part of an aerial light show appeared to be flying into position before several started falling from the sky before slamming to the ground.
A man could be heard saying to children nearby, “Oh no! I don’t believe they’re supposed to be falling.”
MYSTERY DRONES COULD BE IDENTIFIED FASTER USING NEW DETECTION TOOL, BUT FAA LACKS RESOURCES
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
Geese also appear on the water, flapping their wings to try and get out of the way of the chaotic scene.
City officials told the station the holiday drone show was permitted by the FAA.
Still, after one drone show went wrong, the city chose to cancel the second that night at 8 p.m. due to “technical difficulties.”
DRONES SPOTTED ACROSS NORTHEAST LIKELY COMING FROM ‘INSIDE THE US,’ MILITARY EXPERT SAYS
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
The FAA told Fox News Digital it will investigate the cause of the drone show malfunction.
“Several small drones collided and fell into a crowd during a holiday drone show over [Eola] Lake in Orlando, Florida,” the FAA said. “The incident occurred around 6:45 p.m. local time on Saturday, December 21.”
According to the agency, drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver to a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time.
For each drone show application, the FAA looks at things like the software controlling the drones, procedures for setting up safe and restricted areas to keep people a safe distance from the show, procedures if drones fail, and procedures for when an aircraft gets too close to the show.
DRONE MYSTERY: NEW JERSEY HOMEOWNERS THREATEN TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS IF GOVERNMENT DOESN’T ACT
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
Additionally, the FAA reviews how the operator will keep the drones inside a confined area using Geofencing, and whether the operator has an adequate number of people to run the show.
For the second year, the City of Orlando used Sky Elements Drones as its vendor to operate the drones, the station reported.
Sky Elements Drones did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.
In a statement to Fox 35, the vendor said, “Sky Elements Drones wants to extend our sincere hope for a full and speedy recovery to those impacted at our Lake Eola show in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 21.
“The well-being of our audience is our utmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company continued. “We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Florida boy has open heart surgery after being hit by drone at holiday show, parents say, NTSB investigating
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating an accident in which a 7-year-old Florida boy was struck by at least one drone at a holiday airshow over the weekend, resulting in him having to undergo open-heart surgery.
The NTSB on Wednesday said it was investigating the Saturday night malfunction at an aerial light show in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando.
Adriana Edgerton and Jessica Lumsden, parents of Alexander, said one of the red and green-lit drones struck him and knocked him out upon impact, causing a chest injury, Fox Orlando reported.
Hundreds of drones being used as part of a Saturday night aerial light show in Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando appeared to be flying into position before several started falling from the sky before slamming to the ground, according to videos posted online.
DRONE MYSTERY: NEW JERSEY HOMEOWNERS THREATEN TO TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS IF GOVERNMENT DOESN’T ACT
Alexander, a 7-year-old boy, has undergone heart surgery after he was struck by a falling drone during a holiday airshow in Orlando, his parents said. (Fox Orlando )
“Before they went down, the green one went straight at us. I went to the left. My son went to the right, and it hit my son,” Lumsden told the news outlet.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the boy’s parents.
The city canceled the show after the drones crashed.
“Due to technical difficulties, the 8 p.m. Holiday Drone Show at Lake Eola has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience,” the city posted on X.
MYSTERY DRONES COULD BE IDENTIFIED FASTER USING NEW DETECTION TOOL, BUT FAA LACKS RESOURCES
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
It was not clear what led to the drone difficulties.
The vendor for the drone show, Sky Elements Drones, told the news outlet it wanted to extend “our sincere hope for the full and speedy recovery to those impacted” at the show.
“The well-being of our audience is of the upmost priority, and we regret any distress or inconvenience caused,” the company said. “We are diligently working with the FAA and City of Orlando officials to determine the cause and are committed to establishing a clear picture of what transpired. Millions of people see our shows annually, and we are committed to maintaining the highest safety regulations set forth by the FAA.”
Several drones malfunctioned during a drone show in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, sending the unmanned aerial objects crashing to the ground. (Credit – X/MosquitoCoFL)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the malfunction.
Drone arrays and light shows are subject to FAA regulations and typically require a waiver to a regulation that prohibits operating more than one drone at a time, the agency said.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
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