A swimmer was seriously injured in a shark attack on Sunday morning at Del Mar City beach in Del Mar, prompting temporary beach closures. The 46-year-old man, who is a regular ocean swimmer and trains at the beach, suffered significant but not life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The attack occurred about 100 yards from a beach lifeguard station. The swimmer was bitten in the torso, left arm, and hand. Authorities have announced that the beach will remain closed for surfers and swimmers until Tuesday morning for safety precautions.

The incident took place while the victim was swimming with a group of roughly a dozen other people. Lifeguards, who were setting up for the day, were alerted to the situation. However, no one had spotted the shark before the attack occurred. Desperate attempts to locate the shark using a drone and boat yielded no success, likely due to poor water visibility.

Eyewitnesses recounted the harrowing moment when they heard the victim scream for help and witnessed him fight back by punching the shark on its nose. Another swimmer accompanying the group reported that the victim sustained a gash on his hand from a shark's tooth.

This incident follows a similar attack in November 2022 when another swimmer was bitten in the upper thigh in Del Mar. The Memorial Day holiday last week also saw the closure of a popular beach in San Clemente, 41 miles north of Del Mar, after a shark bumped a surfer off his board.

Shark attacks, while relatively rare, often attract substantial media attention. Globally, there were nearly 70 unprovoked shark bites reported in 2023, according to the International Shark Attack File curated by the Florida Museum. Nevertheless, such incidents remain infrequent.

As authorities continue to monitor the situation, beachgoers are advised to exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings when enjoying the waters of the southern California coast.