Las Vegas woman describing shark attack in Florida.
Share this @internewscast.com

A VISITOR was severely injured when a shark bit her during her inaugural visit to Florida.

Originating from Las Vegas, the woman had barely stepped into the water when she encountered the predator.

Las Vegas woman describing shark attack in Florida.
Emily Ross was mauled by a shark during her first-ever trip to FloridaCredit: KVVU-TV
Close-up of a woman's arm showing a shark bite wound.
She was snorkeling in waist-deep water when the shark attacked herCredit: KVVU-TV
Woman giving thumbs up from hospital bed after shark attack in Florida.
The attack left her with a wound the size of a barracuda biteCredit: KVVU-TV

This frightening incident occurred on May 27 in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, located just south of Pompano Beach.

Emily Ross was snorkeling in waist-deep water when she spotted the animal’s tail.

“I was just wandering around looking at the fish, and then I saw the tail of the shark,” she told Fox affiliate KVVU-TV.

“It came in so incredibly quick and grabbed onto me. I didn’t feel the bite, I just felt the pressure.”

Officials say the size of the wound was consistent with that of a barracuda bite, but the exact species has not been confirmed.

Ross said she saw a smaller shark with black tips, a type known to live in tropical coastal waters.

Blacktip sharks are commonly found in the part of Florida she was in, according to the Florida Museum.

Ross had traveled with her mother’s friend to mark the anniversary of her mother’s death.

It was her first time visiting the Sunshine State.

Underwater cameras in the area have shown a wide range of marine life, including coral reefs, manatees, barracudas, and sharks.

Shocking moment paddleboarders in ‘Jaws’ country come terrifyingly close to giant great white shark stalking waters

Despite the chaos, Ross managed to kick the shark away and rush back to shore.

Bleeding heavily, she called for help as beachgoers rushed to her aid.

Two people named Ivan and Kim, used a towel to create a tourniquet and stop the bleeding.

Emergency crews arrived and rushed Ross to a local trauma center.

Great White Sharks – the facts

Here’s what you need to know…

  • The great white shark is a species of the large mackerel shark
  • They’re typically found in the costal surface waters of all major oceans
  • Great whites are famous for their size
  • Females are bigger than males, growing up to 6.1 metres, or 20 feet, in length
  • At full maturity, a great white can weigh up to 1,905 kilograms, or 4,200 pounds
  • A 2014 study revealed that the lifespan of a great white shark is estimated at 70 years or longer
  • Great white sharks can swim at speeds of over 56km/h or 35mph
  • And they can swim to depths of 1,200m, or 3,900 feet
  • Experts believe that great whites have no natural predators, other than the killer whale in very rare instances
  • Great whites became part of the popular imagination after the 1974 novel Jaws, and the later Steven Spielberg film adaptation
  • Humans aren’t the natural prey of great whites, but they’re responsible for the largest number of unprovoked shark attacks on humans

Doctors performed emergency surgery and skin grafts to repair the extensive wound on her hand.

She has since returned to Las Vegas and is undergoing intense physical therapy to regain full use of her hand.

Ross, a computer programmer, is hoping to get back to work soon.

“I’m still angry. There’s this weird multitude of feelings that I have,” she said.

“It is so uncommon, and for it to happen in such a way that I wasn’t even doing anything cool.”

Ross said she’s had several encounters with sharks while scuba diving but never experienced anything dangerous – until now.

Though she previously worked as a lifeguard, Ross has said beachgoers should always swim near professionals.

“It doesn’t matter how strong of a swimmer you are, you should watch out to only swim when there’s lifeguards present,” she said.

“This is something that I take full responsibility for.”

There were no lifeguards on duty in that area at the time, officials confirmed.

Authorities are urging tourists to stay alert and only swim in designated lifeguarded zones.

Smiling woman on a sailboat.
Ross underwent emergency surgery and skin graftsCredit: Instagram/emyydayy
Great white shark swimming underwater.
Despite the chaos, Ross managed to kick the shark away and rush back to shore (stock image)Credit: Getty
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Texas officials are trying to figure out who's really missing from the floods

Texas Authorities Seek to Identify True Missing Persons Amid Floods

This week in Texas, estimates indicate that 161 people are still missing…
Woman with 'urgent message' for President Trump arrested near Mar-a-Lago security checkpoint

Woman Arrested Near Mar-a-Lago Security for Trying to Deliver Message to President Trump

A woman was taken into custody after she approached Mar-a-Lago, claiming she…
Photo of Sunshine Stewart.

Paddleboarder, 48, discovered dead after disappearing during camp trip, prompting police search for ‘killer’

A PADDLEBOARDER mysteriously disappeared during a camping trip and has been discovered…
The NEA's antisemitic ADL split: Letters

The NEA and ADL Division: Examining the Antisemitic Allegations

The Issue: The National Education Association cuts ties with the Anti-Defamation League.…
FBI seeking military vet suspected in ICE ambush at Texas detention facility

FBI Searches for Military Veteran Suspected in ICE Facility Attack in Texas

The FBI is currently on the hunt for a veteran who is…
Flood recovery in San Marco faster with new pump station

Rapid Flood Recovery in San Marco Boosted by New Pump Station

A city spokesperson says many streets flooded in Wednesday’s deluge drained in…
Slain prep school lacrosse player's father 'astonished' after murder suspect acquitted in stabbing case

Father of Slain Prep School Lacrosse Player ‘Shocked’ by Acquittal of Suspect in Stabbing Case

The father of a murdered Fairfield, Connecticut, prep school lacrosse player expressed…
July 2025 Full buck moon in Capricorn: steady surrender

July 2025 Full Buck Moon in Capricorn: Embrace Stability and Letting Go

There’s a full moon rising in the grit and grind, strive and shine sign of the…
Illustration of Indiana fireworks legality: pie charts showing legal times to set off fireworks for various dates.

New July 9 ‘Fireworks’ Law Enforces Instant Fines in US Cities for Violations—With One Date Exception

PEOPLE who set off fireworks now face instant fines for breaking a…
A Border Force vessel rescuing migrants from a small inflatable boat.

Witnessing 78 Migrants Cross to the UK with Farage: A Blow to ‘Stop the Boats’ Efforts

While Keir Starmer introduced his fresh agreement on managing small boats, I…
Man in a red safety vest standing in a lumberyard.

First Image Released of ‘Superyacht Slasher’ Accused of Stewardess’s Murder in £9.5m Yacht Engine Room Before Her 21st Birthday

THE man accused of murdering young stewardess Paige Bell aboard a £9.5million…
One year after Trump assassination attempt, Butler widow demands accountability from Secret Service

One Year After Attempted Assassination on Trump, Butler Widow Calls for Secret Service Accountability

One year after Corey Comperatore was killed at a Trump rally in…