ENCINITAS — Beacon’s Beach reopened to the public today, 48 hours after a 13-year-old boy was seriously injured in a shark attack at the scenic northern San Diego County surf break.
An absence of shark sightings in the area following the weekend attack led the city to allow the public back onto the stretch of Encinitas shoreline, beginning at 7 a.m.
Lifeguards and police will continue running extra precautionary patrols at the beach off Neptune Avenue by ground and air throughout the week, according to city officials.
Keane Hayes was bitten by a shark of undetermined type about 7 a.m. Saturday, while diving for crustaceans on the first day of lobster-fishing season.
Witness Chad Hammel told reporters he had been with a group of friends in the ocean when he heard the Encinitas teen screaming.
“His whole clavicle was ripped open,” Hammel said. “We told him he’s going to be OK, he’s going to be all right — we got help. I yelled at everyone to get out of the water.”
Medics airlifted Keane to Rady Children’s Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition and underwent surgery.
By Sunday, the youth’s condition had been upgraded to serious, according to hospital spokesman Carlos Delgado.
“The boy’s parents want to inform family, friends and the entire community that he is expected to make a full recovery,” Delgado said.
A GoFundMe.com donation page set up by the teen’s family to help them with medical expenses had raised more than $25,000 as of early this afternoon.
A marine biologist from Cal State Long Beach is working to identify the type of shark that attacked the youth, city officials reported.
