A woman who suffered “traumatic” injuries after being bitten off Corona del Mar State Beach over the weekend was attacked by a shark, medical personnel confirmed Monday.
The victim was swimming off the coast when she suffered some kind of animal bite to her torso Sunday afternoon, Newport Beach officials said in an earlier statement. Lifeguards patrolling the ocean rescued the the woman about 4:15 p.m. after receiving a call of a female swimmer in distress.
She was conscious and talking when she was rushed to the hospital in an unknown condition, the statement said.
The incident was initially characterized as a possible shark attack while authorities worked to determine what bit the swimmer.
Her injuries were confirmed Monday to have been sustained in a shark attack, according to Jeff Corless, a spokesperson for O.C. Global Medical Center.
No further details about the woman’s injuries or her condition will be released until a news conference with trauma surgeons and the victim’s family set for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., Corless said.
She has yet to be identified.
A stretch of coastline from Corona del Mar to the Newport Beach Pier was evacuated Sunday immediately following the incident.
