Shark
IN PHOTO: A sand tiger shark (Carcharhinus Taurus) and other fish species swim inside a tank during a presentation of the European Shark Week in the Madrid's Zoo Aquarium October 14, 2011. Members of the Shark Alliance in Europe run a week of activities demanding that policy makers secure the future health of shark populations. Reuters/Andrea Comas

Two young North Carolina youths lost their left arms to amputations in separate shark attacks on Sunday in Oak Island, North Carolina. Both victims, who are out-of-town visitors, were rushed to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in North Carolina in critical condition.

By 11:30 p.m., the two were in fair condition after the girl had her left arm cut below the elbow and below the shoulder for the boy. A shark attacked the 12-year-old at about 4:12 p.m., while a shark attacked a 16-year-old boy at 5:51 p.m., reports Washington Post. While the girl had lower left leg tissue damage, Martha Harlan, spokeswoman of the hospital, said there is no news if the leg needs amputation.

A witness described the first incident as something like a scene out of Jaws, a 1970s blockbuster movie about shark attacks. Someone was carrying the female victim out of the water, while people were shouting “Get out of the water.”

After the two separate shark attacks, Oak Island and Brunswick County are assessing the situation. Tim Holloman, town manager of Oak Island, said they are using marine and helicopter support to monitor the area. He stressed that Oak Island is still a safe tourist destination and the shark attacks are unusual.

A 13-year-old girl was attacked on Thursday while boogie boarding near the Ocean Crest Fishing Pier, but she suffered only minor wounds, according to Fox. While the beaches would remain open on Monday, Holloman encouraged beachgoers to stay on the shores only and stay away from the water. Oak Island Mayor Betty Wallace said that the second attack came too close to the first that there was little time to alert swimmers.

There were only two similar incidents in 40 years while studying sharks that there are two successive shark attacks in one day, said International Shark Attack File Director George Burgess at the Florida Museum of Natural History. First was in Florida 15 to 20 years ago, and second was in Egypt three or four years ago. Burgess said that the sharks in the area as blacktip and spinner sharks that measure about 6 to 7 feet.

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