Gutsy teen girl punches shark during attack along Florida coast

Gutsy teen girl punches shark during attack along Florida coast

It may not be a good idea to mess with a softball player - even if you're a shark.

17-year-old Caitlyn Taylor punched the predator in the face to free herself while swimming off the coast of Florida, United States on Monday afternoon (April 3).

The teenager told Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office that she had mistaken the shark for a dolphin, before it "took her by the legs and tugged on her."

Witnesses said that they saw a 1.5m-long shark attack the teen while she was waist deep in the water.

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According to the sheriff's office, Taylor sustained six puncture wounds from a shark bite, and received eighty stitches on her right leg.

She also suffered scrape wounds on her left leg and cuts on her hands, TIME reported.

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After the ordeal, the teen wrote on Twitter that she was "beyond lucky to be alive" and that she was "going to be okay."

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Taylor's sister said: "It was such a traumatising event out there and I'm so lucky to still have my sister who is so strong and a such a fighter."

The teen had been visiting the city with her high school softball team for a tournament, USAToday reported.

Also read: Teen bitten by crocodile after jumping into infested waters on a dare

minlee@sph.com.sg

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