Swimmer Injured by Shark Attack in Pacific Grove

A swimmer was seriously injured in a shark attack on the central California coast Wednesday, police said.

The attack occurred at midmorning at Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove, about 85 miles south of San Francisco, the Pacific Grove Police Department said in a statement.

The swimmer, a man, suffered “significant injuries from the shark bite,” and was taken to a hospital, police said. The victim’s identity was not immediately released.

Firefighters deployed a drone to search for the shark, but there were no immediate sightings.

Police said the beach at Lovers Point, on the south end of Monterey Bay, will remain closed until Saturday.

Shark Attack Statistics

• On average, there are 72 unprovoked shark bites annually worldwide.
• In 2021, the U.S. reported 47 unprovoked shark bites, which is 64% of the global total.
• The annual global average of unprovoked fatalities per year is five.
• Last year, there were 11 shark-related fatalities -- nine were unprovoked.