California Shark Attack: Boy, 13, Bitten While Lobster Diving With Church Group

A California boy was attacked by a shark over the weekend while diving for lobsters with his church youth group.

According to the LA Times, the boy, whose photo has been released without his name by family, was in the chilly Pacific off the coast of Encinitas outside San Diego when the unlikely attack occurred.

Chad Hammel, who watched the scene unfold, told KSWB the 13-year-old boy could be heard screaming "I got bit!" as the water around him turned red with blood. 

The boy was pulled onto a kayak and rushed to shore, where footage showed him being treated by lifeguards before a helicopter lifted him to a hospital. 

After stabilizing the boy, doctors took him into surgery. However, officials did not release the exact nature or extent of his injuries. 

As of Saturday evening, he was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Rady Children’s Hospital.

Local authorities said they are working to determine what kind of shark was involved in the attack, though no shark activity in the area has since been seen. 

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