UPDATE, 4:00 p.m.: A friend of the victim called in to the Awkward Pause radio show on KHUM (104.3 & 104.7 FM) to report that the victim is recovering nicely in the hospital and should be out in a few days. The audio of that phone call is available here:

audio

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UPDATE, 2:16 p.m.: The T-S reaches hospital staff, who say that the victim is recovering.

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UPDATE, 2 p.m.: The T-S speaks to an eyewitness. The Lost Coast Outpost contacted the coroners’ office: They have not been called to the scene. Widespread rumors that the victim has died are, at this point, almost certainly false.

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A surfer suffered grave injuries after attacked by a shark off the North Jetty at about noon today. 

Lt. Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office said that friends of the victim who called 911 were extremely distraught. When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, the friends had already left, taking the victim to the hospital in their own vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office information is still fragmented, Knight said. A deputy was en route to the hospital to gather more information when the Lost Coast Outpost spoke to him about 10 minutes ago.

Lost Coast Outpost contributor and Humboldt Surfrider president Jen Savage spoke with a fellow surfer who witnessed the rescue effort at the scene. The witness said that the bite was extremely grave, and that the victim’s injuries were very grave.