Photo: David Clode//Unsplash
Despite the fear they strike in the heart of beachgoers, shark attacks are actually pretty rare. However, while it’s easy to intellectually acknowledge that fact, sometimes it sure doesn’t feel like it. To that point, there has been yet another case of a shark encounter in Florida’s notoriously sharky waters – this time an eight-year-old boy who was snorkeling near Key Largo.
The incident occurred before 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. Richard Burroughs was snorkeling with his father and 10-year-old sister off Horseshoe Reef, near Key Largo, when a shark bit him multiple times in the leg, above the knee.
As Local 10 reports, a nearby dive boat helped bring him back to Garden Cove Marina, where they were met by first responders. In the 911 call obtained by WSVN, Burroughs was described as having a “significant amount of blood loss” and turning pale. Two tourniquets were applied to stem the bleeding, before he was taken by helicopter to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center in Miami.
Despite the traumatic experience, the boy’s family reports that his recuperation is going well. “Richard is recovering well from his surgery and is gaining strength by the day,” they told Local 10 News. “He is in good spirits.”
