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Shark Kills Body Surfer in Santa Barbara County
via Google Maps
Three beaches around Vandenberg Air Force Base have been shut down for at least three days after a body surfer this morning was fatally bitten by a shark. The incident happened this morning at Surf Beach, which is officially a base beach, but is publicly accessible via the Lompoc area. "Long considered a “sharky” area by locals, Surf Beach... has been the site of several shark sightings in recent years including a highly publicized incident in 2008 when a surfer had his board bitten by what experts believed was a Great White shark," noted the Santa Barbara Independent.
Other closed beaches include Wall and Minuteman. Sharks are often seen off the coast of Southern California, but attacks are rare. The victim is reportedly a 20-year-old college student.
Previously
- Lifeguards Advise Beachgoers of Great White Sharks
- Orange County Great White Shark in Viral Video ID'd as One Tagged by Researchers
- Surfer Bitten By Shark in Pismo Beach, Advisory Issued
- Great White Sharks Feeding on Sea Lions at Santa Barbara Island
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
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