Florida Surfer Attacked by Shark

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – A surfer dangling his feet into the Atlantic Ocean on Florida's east coast was bitten by a shark, authorities said.

The 18-year-old man was surfing in water up to 8 feet deep near the New Smyrna Beach jetty Saturday when the shark swam up and bit him, said Scott Petersohn, spokesman for the Volusia County Beach Patrol.

"This was a case of mistaken identity," Petersohn told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. "The guy's foot dangling in the water looks a lot like a fish."

The man, who was not identified, suffered puncture wounds on his right foot, Petersohn said. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance in stable condition, officials said.

The size of the shark was not known.

The incident was the second confirmed shark bite off a beach in this county in less than a month, authorities said. A 15-year-old boy suffered minor injuries when he stepped on a shark Oct. 15 at the Ponce Inlet jetty.