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CNN Live At Daybreak

Shark Attacks Do Not Bite Into Florida Tourism

Aired July 17, 2001 - 08:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Shark attacks along Florida's coast may have you wondering how you're going to know if it's safe to go in the water.

CNN's Dave Mattingly is on the beach this morning, in Pensacola, Florida, where the last two attacks took place -- David.

DAVE MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Two shark attacks less than 10 days and less than 10 miles apart is almost unheard of in this part of the Florida Panhandle. The first attack came July 6. As you know, eight-year-old Jessie Arbogast was playing in knee-deep water a few miles west of here, at the Gulf Island National Seashore. He was attacked by a seven-foot bull shark, which bit off his right arm and a portion of his thigh.

He remains in critical condition this morning in a light coma. Doctors reattached his arm and had been reporting encouraging signs of recovery. Yesterday, however, doctors canceled surgery that they had planned to apply a skin graft to his thigh. This was after they discovered some internal bleeding. Doctors say this is a complication they expected with this type of injury.

They had also been worried about brain damage brought on by the tremendous loss of blood by the eight-year old. They now say they see no signs of brain damage, but it will be some time before they know for sure.

Now, the second attack happened on Sunday. It happened just a few miles from here, the other direction up Pensacola Beach. Forty- eight-year-old Michael Waters was on his surfboard about 100 yards off the beach. He saw a school of small fish and then a long dark shadow in the water. He was then bitten on the foot by a shark. He was able to free himself when he hit the shark with his surfboard. He made his way to shore. He was stitched up and released from the hospital yesterday.

Now what impact this may or may not have on beachgoers during the heart and the heat of the summer vacation season remains to be seen. There are a few people that we've talked to on the beach, and they're more interested about the information we have about sharks. So they're very curious about the issue, but at this point, no one overtly is saying that they're not going in the water. There are a little over 1,000 hotel rooms here on Pensacola Beach. They were full last weekend, and officials here say they fully expect them to be full again this weekend.

Back to you, in Atlanta.

LIN: Thank you very much, Dave.

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