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A kayaker fishing off a Malibu beach was rushed to a local hospital Sunday morning after a shark encounter reportedly left him with two bite wounds.
The incident occurred near Paradise Cove in Los Angeles County, according to KTLA.
Witnesses told the outlet that the fisherman had reeled in what was believed to be a mako shark and was attempting to release it when the animal bit him, causing him to fall into the water.
The shark then bit him a second time before swimming away, according to reports. The Los Angeles County Fire Department initially described the incident as a shark attack but later characterized it as a “fishing accident,” ABC 7 reported.
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FILE — A person paddles a fishing kayak in San Francisco Bay on April 1, 2017. A fisherman kayaking off Malibu was reportedly bitten twice by a shark on Oct. 4, 2026. (MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images)
A manager at the nearby Paradise Cove Beach Cafe said he saw the victim’s injuries near his legs.
“He was bitten in two places,” the manager told KTLA. “I saw there were some teeth marks on his lower leg and above the knee.”
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Video captured a lifeguard rushing toward the fisherman moments after the attack, while a small fishing boat floated nearby.
A fisherman reportedly rushed to the victim’s aid, pulled him from the water onto his boat, and brought the fisherman back to shore, KTLA said.
FILE — A view of the Malibu Pier in Malibu, California, on Aug. 21, 2026. A shark encounter off a Malibu beach sent an injured fisherman to a local hospital. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)
The victim reportedly called his girlfriend, a retired lifeguard, who helped him from the boat, assisted him onshore and called for emergency responders.
Los Angeles County Fire Department crews responded to the scene and took the victim to a local hospital, the outlet said.
Recalling the incident, the cafe manager reportedly said, “We’ve had a lot of crazy stuff happen here, but we’ve never had a shark attack like that.”
The beach remained open following the incident, ABC 7 reported.
A Shortfin Mako Shark swims under the surface in open water. (Nano Calvo/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Chances of encountering a shark in Southern California are higher in October, when warmer coastal waters attract both prey and juvenile sharks. Female sharks often use shallow, warmer waters as nursery grounds, where young sharks can feed and grow with relative protection.
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Fox News Digital reached out to the Los Angeles County Fire Department for more information.