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8h ago

Surfer Recovers After Shark Bite at New Smyrna Beach

The 40-year-old underwent hours of surgery for non-life-threatening arm injuries, constituting Florida’s second shark incident of 2025

A surfer eyes a passing shark at New Smyrna Beach, in Volusia County, the area responsible for 68% of the state's unprovoked shark bites.
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Many shark species migrate along the East Coast, often in pursuit of “prey such as mullet, sardines, menhaden, and other species of baitfish,” The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

Overview

  • Incident occurred about 3 p.m. Sunday when Matt Bender, 40, from Winter Park was bitten on his right forearm while surfing at New Smyrna Beach.
  • Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue confirmed the victim was Matt Bender, who underwent several hours of surgery after being evacuated from the water.
  • Officials have not yet determined the shark species involved in the July 6 attack.
  • This represents Florida’s second reported shark encounter with a human in 2025, following a June 11 incident in Boca Grande that injured a 9-year-old girl.
  • Researchers attribute summer spikes in shark activity to seasonal baitfish migrations along Florida’s Atlantic coast and advise swimmers to stay in groups near shore and avoid dawn or dusk hours.