Less than 13 years in critical condition after bloody attack of a shark

Photo: Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego / Brian Chernicky

• The authorities still can not identify which species of shark attacked the minor

• The child suffered traumatisms in the ear and torso, but is expected to survive

A 13-year-old boy was attacked by a shark while he was diving in the waters of Beacon Beach, in the Californian town of Encinitas, during the past weekend.

According to information from NBC San Diego , local police and Coast Guard personnel are searching for the predator that caused severe injuries to the child's ear and shoulder on the morning of September 29.

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The boy, identified as Keane Hayes , was diving for lobsters about 115 feet (about 35 meters) from the coast around 6:55 in the morning, when the shark attacked him.

The child was part of a group of 35 people, who were also fishing lobsters in waters barely nine feet deep. Suddenly, according to a witness, the boy started screaming that he had been bitten.

"I rowed towards him and saw that he was leaving a large trail of blood . His entire back was open. The shark bit him in the collarbone and put his fangs in one cheek, "said Chad Hummel, a fisherman who helped the victim.

Members of the lifeguard team joined the rescue and carried out evacuation tasks for the rest of the lobster fishermen. The services were quickly summoned, and they sent a helicopter that in less than an hour transferred the child to Rady's children's hospital.

The minor was taken by helicopter to a hospital. Photo: Colin Thomas

Lifeguards performed evacuation work on the beach. Photo: Raymond L. Mistarz

The minor's injuries were reported as serious trauma to the ear and shoulder . Despite its critical condition, doctors predict it will recover, according to Fox News.

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The shark responsible for the attack was not identified, but according to witnesses could actually have been a large white about 11 feet (3 meters) in length. The authorities are already working to identify the animal, although so far no other sightings have been reported.

As a result of the attack, the beach where the events occurred was closed to the public, a provision that remains so far while the investigation continues.