Shark attacks 9-year-old girl from Russian-speaking family in Florida

On June 11, 9-year-old Leah was seriously injured in a shark attack off the coast of Boca Grande, Florida. GoFundMe A fundraiser has been announced for the child's treatment.

Photo: Timothy Lubcke | Dreamstime.com

The incident occurred in the 2200 block of Shore Lane while Leah was swimming near the shore with her siblings and parents. According to eyewitnesses, the girl was bitten by a bull shark about 2,5 meters long. The victim had to be urgently evacuated to the hospital by helicopter. Now her condition is stabilized, she is undergoing treatment and recovering.

Leah's family told Fox 4 that Nadia, Leah's mother, was just a few feet away, holding her two younger children in inflatable rings when Leah dove underwater with a mask and snorkel. Suddenly, Leah jumped out of the water and screamed - her right arm was covered in blood and almost torn off. Nadia, holding onto the kids, tried to reach Leah, and her father, who was further in the water with the other children, swam as hard as he could to help.

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Leah, presumably in shock, walked almost to the shore on her own. Raynel Lugo was relaxing on the beach at the time, heard the child's cries and rushed to help. He pulled the girl out of the water, bandaged her and called 911.

Lugo noted that the shark came very close when he was helping Leah. The water depth at that place was less than one meter. According to him, the girl did not cry or complain of pain - she was obviously in a state of shock.

Leah's family immediately launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the girl's treatment and recovery, and reported: "She is currently in stable condition, undergoing surgery and courageously fighting for recovery."

“While we are incredibly grateful that Leah is alive, she still has a long road ahead of her to recover physically and emotionally. The Life Flight alone has resulted in huge medical expenses, not to mention the treatments that will follow: possible surgeries, physical therapy, mental health care, etc.,” the GoFundMe page says. “We are organizing this fundraiser to help the family cope financially during this difficult time for them, as they currently have no insurance. Every donation, big or small, will go directly to medical bills, travel expenses to treatment, and everything else needed to help Leah recover and get her life back on track.”

The bull shark is one of the most dangerous sharks for humans. It lives in warm coastal waters around the world, particularly in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. The peculiarity of this shark is that it can swim not only in salt water, but also in fresh water - it is often found in river mouths and even far upstream, for example in the Mississippi or Amazon.

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This shark is dangerous because of its aggressiveness, powerful build, and tendency to hunt in murky waters where it may mistake humans for prey. Bull sharks often attack people in coastal areas where they swim or engage in water sports.

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