A day on the water turned into a nightmare on Northern California’s coast.
A 39-year-old surfer was attacked by a shark while catching waves at Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park on Wednesday, March 18, according to reports from ABC7 and KTVU.
Officials say the bite happened around 5:18 p.m. local time — and the man suffered serious injuries to both legs.
Three off-duty lifeguards jumped into action, pulling the surfer out of the water and giving him emergency medical care on the beach, the California State Lifeguards said in an Instagram statement shared Friday, March 20.
After the rescue, the injured surfer was taken to a hospital in Fort Bragg for further treatment.
In their statement, California State Lifeguards praised the rapid response and emphasized how critical trained ocean lifeguards are along the rural Northern California coastline, where help can be far away.
“Although uncommon, shark bites are one of the many different types of emergencies our lifeguards are trained to respond to and treat,” the agency said.
Following the attack, State Parks posted warning signs at nearby beaches and shut down Big River Beach for 48 hours as part of standard protocol.
Officials also noted that shark encounters remain rare — and that sharks play an important role in the coastal ecosystem — even as the incident shook beachgoers.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department, Mendocino Coast paramedics, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and Mendocino Sheriff’s Search and Rescue.
CDFW has reportedly collected evidence and is now leading an investigation into what happened.
