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American Morning

Shark Attack In Florida

Aired August 20, 2001 - 11:09   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: A strip of beach along Florida's central east coast, it is open today for swimming, but be careful. Sharks staged hit-and-run attacks this weekend, chomping down on six surfers.

Our Susan Candiotti is at New Smyrna Beach in Florida. Susan, staying out of the water, I hope?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. I'm just a short distance from the water, but stying clear of it this day just to be safe.

At any rate, the beach remains open, and usually more shark bites happen here in Volusia County than any other county here in Florida. That's the way it is every year, including this year. Yet, people continue to come here and enjoy the beach, despite six shark bites over the weekend.

Laura Kirk is one of the surfers who likes to come out here, well you're here with your boogie board anyway. Why do you keep coming?

LAURA KIRK, SURFER: I love it. It's a great stress reliever for me. I've been coming to the beach since I was a little kid.

CANDIOTTI: Not in the least worried?

KIRK: No, no. I'm more likely to be struck by lightning living in Florida, than I am to get bit by a shark in ocean.

CANDIOTTI: Well, in fact, one of the surfer that was bitten over the weekend has also been struck by lightning, as it turns out. Anyway, thanks for joining us, and be safe out there this day.

We're about to show you a piece of home video that was shot over the weekend. In it, indeed the sharks do appear frightening, as you can see their fins bobbing in and out of the water. It was shot on Sunday, these pictures, as surfers and others enjoyed the water. Six people attacked, none of the injuries was serious. People suffered bites to their hands, legs and feet.

Now, the beach patrol is keeping a close eye on things here and throughout Florida. There is no reason, they say, to close the beach, things are safer now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. ROB HORSTER, NEW SMYRNA BEACH PATROL: It's like lightning. You don't know when it's going to strike, shark bites are unpredictable. If you want to close the beaches down, you're going to have to close the beaches in all of Florida and all the rest world. Anywhere in the world you go in the ocean, you're going to have sharks.

It's not a major problem here, and I know it sounds crazy after three bites on Saturday and three on Sunday, but these are unusual circumstances.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Now, they have moved the surfers anyway, not the sunbathers, a little farther north of here to the Ponce De Leon Inlet, which is in the New Smyrna Beach area. It may appear to you that -- from hearing all the news reports that there are more shark bites than usual so far here in Florida, but that is really not the case.

Why are they biting? Well, the experts say there are a lot of bait fish located in this area, and when you add that to the number of people that like to swim around the waters here, inevitably, they say, there probably will be shark bites.

Back to you, Daryn.

KAGAN: All right, Susan, but no hanging 10 for you today. You keep the surfboard on the sand, and you stay safe.

CANDIOTTI: Will do.

KAGAN: Susan Candiotti in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

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