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CNN Sunday Morning

Surfer Attacked by Shark in Florida

Aired August 26, 2001 - 07:12   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Another person has been bitten in the waters off New Smyrna Beach. It's the ninth shark attack in a week. The teenage surfer was nipped on the foot and side but his injuries are not considered serious. It's the frequency and not the atrocity of the attacks that is stoking fears. We get the latest from reporter Tracey Sievertson of CNN's Orlando affiliate, WFTV.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TRACEY SIEVERTSON, WFTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ben Gibbs wasn't going to let the hype about eight shark attacks in one week keep him off his boogie board. Instead, a shark pulled him off Saturday, making Ben victim number nine.

BEN GIBBS, SHARK ATTACK VICTIM: Something came out from underneath my feet. I thought it was one of my friends and the next thing I know, it bit my foot and then it bit my leg. And when it was biting on my leg, I tried to push him away by his mouth and I had my thumb in his mouth.

SIEVERTSON: Ben was in waste deep water near the Flagler Avenue beach approach, far from the one mile stretch of beach already closed because of a record number of shark bites. This is the longest period of time the beach has ever been closed to swimmers. Then again, this is the most number of sharks ever seen feeding near the shore. Still for some, only the threat of arrest is keeping them out of this inlet waves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they were going to kick us out then no. But I mean if they weren't going to kick us out and they said like, "Swim at your own risk," then definitely, yeah, I would.

SIEVERTSON (on-camera): Beach patrol says they're not having a problem keeping swimmers out of the water but they are having a problem with a lot of illegal fishing.

What are you fishing for?

WAYNE WILSON, FISHERMAN: Sharks.

SIEVERTSON (voice-over): Wayne Wilson didn't know that fishing for sharks on shore is illegal. It's illegal because beach patrol says it attracts predators closer to shore. Off shore, officers describe another dangerous fishing scene straight out of the movie "Jaws."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a boat this morning that we suspected of maybe chumming the water in blood baiting for sharks.

SIEVERTSON: Even the local restaurants are cashing in on the feeding frenzy. There's no way of knowing for sure if the frenzy is drawing more people to check out the sharks or more sharks to beach goers like Ben Gibbs.

(on-camera): It's been happening so much. Why did you go in the water?

GIBBS: To slow down the trooper.

SIEVERTSON (voice-over): For now, the area near the inlet remains closed to swimmers at least until these menacing schools move on.

In New Smyrna Beach, Florida, I'm Tracey Sievertson for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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