Lifeguard flown to hospital after shark attack on Hilton Head Island

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — A lifeguard on South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island suffered serous injuries after being bitten by a shark, authorities said.

The lifeguard is recovering and expected to survive after Tuesday’s attack, WTOC-TV reported.

The lifeguard was checking water conditions in the Palmetto Dunes area when the bite happened, according to the operations manager of Shore Beach Services.

He suffered deep lacerations to the chest area, the WTOC-TV reported. The lifeguard was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Savannah, Georgia.

It was the second reported shark attack on a human in the past week in the region.

At Tybee Island, Georgia near Savannah, a well-known surfing instructor was bitten on July 27 while leading one of his surfing classes. Atsushi Yamada, known to his surfing students and others as “Hot Sushi,” is thankful that he wasn’t injured more seriously.

“I joke with people — my nickname is Hot Sushi,” he told WSAV-TV. “I’m still Hot Sushi, not cold sushi yet.”

(WATCH BELOW: How to avoid a shark attack)

How to avoid a shark attack How to avoid a shark attack (NCD)

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