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CNN Live At Daybreak

10-Year-Old Boy Dies From Shark Attack in Virginia

Aired September 03, 2001 - 07:09   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: You might want to wear your leather wetsuit if you're going out into the water this Labor Day weekend. That shark attack that killed a 10-year-old boy this weekend was a rarity in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Bruce Edwards is the director of Emergency Medical Services for Virginia Beach. Good morning, Bruce, and thanks so much for joining us this morning.

BRUCE EDWARDS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES: Good morning.

LIN: I know it's early out there but I understand that despite this attack over the weekend, the waters will be open to swimmers today?

EDWARDS: That's correct. They were actually opened yesterday morning and have remained open through today.

LIN: But I also understand that your lifeguards out there have had special briefings on shark attacks, what to do, how to go about the rescue and the warnings. What have they been told?

EDWARDS: Well, they've been told to look for any unusual marine activity, any rustling in the water or fins or anything of that nature. Since yesterday, we've had three flyovers in the police helicopter with a curator from the Virginia Marine Sciences Museum on board to check for such disturbances and to look for anything that was unusual.

We also deployed the Emergency Medical Services dive team and four boats, jet ski, ATV and two four wheel drive vehicles to patrol the entire length of the ocean checking on the same thing. We have come up with absolutely nothing and there have been no reports, not even a 911 report, of anything unusual happening out there.

LIN: Do you think this was just a freak attack then?

EDWARDS: Yes, we do. Never in the history of Virginia Beach has this occurred. It's just so bizarre to us and obviously so tragic for the family and our hearts go out to them. And it's something that's just unexplainable to us. I was completely surprised when I got the word on that attack Saturday night.

LIN: What would have attracted that shark to those shallow waters? This little boy was standing in only four feet of water?

EDWARDS: He was, and his father, were surfing and they were out about 50 yards. It was low tide and they were standing on a sand bar, which was about four feet of water at that point. As to why the shark came in, we're not sure. We're not even sure what type of shark it is. Hopefully within the next day or so as evidence comes up the people from the Virginia Marine Sciences Museum -- and that's located right here in Virginia Beach -- can make a determination as to what type of shark it is and perhaps they can get some idea as to why this whole thing happened.

LIN: In the meantime, that sand bar where this father and son were swimming, there are no lifeguards posted that far out, is that right?

EDWARDS: Well, we have two guarded areas in the Sandbridge section of Virginia Beach. One is in Little Island Park, which is down and is adjacent to False Cape Federal Reservation, and another one that's up in the North Sand Bridge Beach area. But the area where the shark attack occurred in between the two is an unguarded area.

Fortunately, however, the lifeguards at Little Island Park noted the commotion and they came down to assist the young boy on Saturday.

LIN: But that is the trick. I mean as much as you can train your lifeguards and have these aerial patrols, even if you spot some activity like that, I mean frankly in David Peltier's case, it was too late.

EDWARDS: Yes.

LIN: There was nothing that you could do to help this little boy.

EDWARDS: Yes. Yes. It's really an unfortunate, very, very bizarre situation. We just see it as an anomaly that has never happened before and hopefully will never happen again.

LIN: Yes, we will cross our fingers there.

All right, have a safe holiday out there, Bruce Edwards with the Emergency Services out there in Virginia Beach.

EDWARDS: Thank you very much.

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