Cellphone video shows the bloody aftermath of a diver's frightening encounter with what was possibly a shark off Key Biscayne.
The footage shows the diver being pulled onto a charter boat to safety Saturday morning in the area of Crandon Beach at Bill Baggs State Park.
Authorities haven't confirmed whether the man was bitten by a shark, but witnesses who were on the boat that day say the man was covered in bloody bites.
"Mangled. Mangled," Kyle Evans said, describing the injuries. "Just messed up."
The victim was diving in the water as a part of a group on another boat. When Captain Sig Ozols saw that group waving him down, he knew something was up.
"The guy stood up and he was just, blood from arm to foot, and that's when I jumped into action and backed the boat in," Ozols said.
Nurses happened to be on the boat that day. They bandaged up the victim, and after a 20 minute boat ride, fire rescue was waiting on shore to transport him to the hospital.
This alleged shark attack is Florida's fourth in just two weeks.
"I've never seen this in 30 years of being in the business and don't want to see it again, to be honest with you," Ozols said.
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Officials haven't released the name of the diver.
Here's what to keep in mind if you're swimming in the ocean this time of year:
- Always swim in a group. Sharks most often attack lone individuals.
- Don't enter the water if bleeding. Sharks can smell and taste blood, and trace it back to its source.
- Don't wear shiny jewelry. The reflected light could attract sharks because they look like shining fish scales.
