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A 21-year-old fisherman was bitten by a sandbar shark on Nantucket Beach on Sunday (July 6) while attempting to release it back into the ocean. The incident occurred near Hoicks Hollow during the busy Fourth of July weekend. The Nantucket Current reported that after reeling the shark onto shore, the man was bitten on the leg, resulting in a serious injury. Friends transported him to a local hospital, and he was later airlifted by Boston MedFlight to a mainland hospital for further treatment.
Fortunately, his injuries were not life-threatening.
The incident highlights the risks associated with catch-and-release shark fishing. Dr. Nick Whitney, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium, told the Cape Cod Times that while catch-and-release is common, it carries inherent dangers.
"They're wild animals, so sometimes accidents like this do happen," he said.
The Nantucket Current shared a video of the incident on Instagram.