Overview
- A man fishing from a kayak about two miles off Paradise Cove was bitten twice after reeling in a shark and falling into the water, according to lifeguard accounts and multiple local reports.
- A nearby fisherman pulled the victim aboard and his girlfriend, a retired lifeguard, helped onshore before Los Angeles County crews transported him to a hospital for treatment.
- Officials have not publicly confirmed the shark species or released full medical details, and local footage of the rescue does not clearly show the animal, leaving the circumstances under active investigation.
- The Los Angeles County Fire Department initially used the term "shark attack" but later described the incident as a "fishing accident," reflecting uncertainty about whether the animal was provoked by the hook.
- Sightings of unusual sharks along the Southern California coast have risen in recent weeks, a trend scientists link to warmer El Niño-affected waters that can pull baitfish and predators closer to shore.