A Massachusetts woman is recovering at a South Florida hospital after she suffered a shark bite in the Bahamas on Sunday, officials confirmed.
NBC Boston reported the 34-year-old woman, Maggie Ewing, was spearfishing off Treasure Cay Coast when the shark went after the fish on her spear and inadvertently bit her hand, according to Abaco Fire Chief Colin Albury. Officials said the woman was in shock and was in severe pain.
Ewing was airlifted to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood by Trinity Air Ambulance. She spoke about her ordeal with reporters at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
She said she had speared a hogfish and was trying to get it out of a little cave when the shark came over her shoulder and latched onto her hand.
"I felt the pain instantly," Ewing said. "I think he let go pretty quickly, probably felt the spear."
Shark attacks in the Bahamas aren't a common occurrence, but have been known to happen, according to Albury.
"It's part of nature," he told NBC News. "We're in their territory and things happen."
"I know sharks aren't really going for me, he was totally going for the fish," Ewing said. "It was my mistake, but nonetheless he got me."
