Shark attacks swimmer in Del Mar

Man hospitalized after shark attack in SoCal

A man was hospitalized after being attacked by a shark off the coast of Del Mar in the San Diego area.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. - Beaches north of San Diego in Del Mar are closed for swimming and surfing after a person was attacked by a shark in the water, according to city officials.

The incident happened Sunday around 9 a.m. about 100 yards offshore from the Beach Safety Center at 17th Street.

The 46-year-old man was in a group of about a dozen swimmers who meet regularly to train in Del Mar, officials said.

He suffered bites to his torso, left arm, and hand.

The man was taken to the hospital with significant injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening at this time, officials said in a statement.

"In accordance with protocols developed by the California Marine Safety Chiefs Association and the Shark Lab at California State University Long Beach, lifeguards have posted signs and closed Del Mar beaches for swimming and surfing one mile in both directions from the incident—roughly from 6th Street to North Beach—and have notified neighboring jurisdictions," the statement continued.

RELATED COVERAGE: Orange County coast seeing 'aggressive sharks'

Dr. Chris Lowe, director of CSULB's Shark Lab, talks about the increase of shark sightings along the Southern California coast.

The water closure will remain in effect through 9 a.m. June 4.

This comes after a surfer came face-to-face with a shark in San Clemente over Memorial Day weekend.

Evan Garcia was knocked off his 7-foot surfboard by what he described as a 4 to 6 foot juvenile shark. Once in the water, he opened his eyes and saw the shark.

"When that thing hit me from below, I knew right away that it was a shark. There's people out there who have been injured by sharks. And I'm so lucky that it only got my board," Garcia told FOX 11.

Photo courtesy City of Del Mar

Ocean water access to the beaches in San Clemente was restricted for 24 hours following the shark sighting.

A sighting of a shark 10 feet or longer calls for a closure, usually for several hours, while any kind of aggressive behavior automatically prompts a 24-hour shutdown, pending no additional shark sightings, the Associated Press reports.