Lifeguards spot possible O.C. shark bite victim bloody and in distress, rescue her

NEWPORT BEACH >> A woman was transported by ambulance Sunday afteoon to an area hospital following what was initially reported by authorities as a possible shark attack.

The 4:15 p.m. incident off the coast of Corona del Mar State Beach is being investigated by Newport Beach lifeguards.

Lifeguards in a boat on routine patrol spotted a female swimmer in a wet suit in distress, Tara Fiigan, spokeswoman for the city of Newport Beach, said.

The woman, who waived her arms and yelled for help, was swimming about 150 yards off shore just outside a protected area, said Newport Beach Chief Lifeguard Rob Williams.

Boats are not allowed in the protected area, he said.

The area is a popular training spot for long distance swimmers, though it’s unknown if the woman was there for that purpose, he added.

When lifeguards reached the woman they found her bleeding heavily from wounds to her arm and shoulder consistent with an animal bite, Fiigan said. She was conscious and talked with emergency responders.

The woman was transported by ambulance to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, where information about her condition was not immediately available Sunday night.

David Smythe, of Moreno Valley, was spending time with his family at the beach when lifeguards started telling people to get out of water following the incident.

“I was very nervous because my nieces were down here,” he said. “So the first thing I did was run and say, ‘Hey, get out of water.’ Second thing I did was I went to lifeguards and asked what was going on. They said ‘I can’t tell you. All I can say is there’s blood out there somewhere in the water. We need everybody out of the water.’”

Though emergency dispatchers said the initial call came in as a shark attack, lifeguards have been unable to confirm what happened, Fiigan said.

They also haven’t been able to determine if another animal, such as a sea lion, may have bitten her, Fiigan said.

Persoel aboard a police helicopter did not spot a shark or sea lion in the water Sunday afteoon in the area where the woman was found, she added.

A three-mile stretch from Corona del Mar State Beach to Newport Pier will be closed to swimmers at least until Monday moing, Williams said.

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