Teen in Key Largo Flown to Hospital After Bitten by Mystery Sea Creature

Empty boat in Key Largo Empty boat in Key Largo
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While a shark bite was reported to authorities, the teen and officials are unsure of what creature caused the injuries.

A potential shark bite was called in to the authorities on Saturday, but officials are unsure of what sent an injured teenage boy to the hospital.

Off the coast of Key Largo, a teen was lobstering off of his parents' boat when he was bitten by something in the water.

He was bitten on his left calf and ankle and also on his upper right thigh, and was brought ashore and flown out of the Keys by a Miami-Dade rescue helicopter. 

On Saturday night he was in stable condition at Jackson South Medical Center in Kendall.

“It could have been a barracuda or a shark,” said Officer Bobby Dube, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Miami Herald.

“I don’t know. It’s unconfirmed.”

According to Dube, the FWC doesn’t investigate possible shark attacks  — they only look into alligator and crocodile bites.

“Even the teen can’t say what bit him...He didn’t see anything,” Dube said.

“The water was murky. Then it was bloody.”

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