Truro police: Shark bites man’s ankle at Ballston Beach

E-mail | Print | Comments () 07/30/2012 7:09 PM

Jessica Wynne/Getty Images

Rescue workers tended to the injured man on the beach today.

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By Chris Stuck-Girard, Globe Correspondent

A man was apparently bitten on the ankle by a shark while swimming at Ballston Beach in Truro this afternoon, police said. The injury is not believed to be life-threatening.

The man swam to shore and was taken from the beach to Cape Cod Hospital after a 911 call came in about 3:30 p.m., said dispatcher Martha Wheeler of Truro police.

Wheeler said witnesses reported seeing a shark fin, but police could not confirm its presence.

The beach, which is part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, remains open, Wheeler said.

Wheeler said authorities did not know the man’s name or where he was from.

The Truro harbormaster’s office was closed. The National Seashore offices were also closed.

The apparent shark bite comes after several summers of worry about the great white sharks that have come to the state’s shores to feast on seals, a favorite meal for the giant predators. The sharks have been most frequently sighted off of Chatham.

Chatham is at the elbow of the Cape, while Truro is towards the outer tip of the Cape.

Chris Stuck-Girard can be reached at chrisstuckgirard@gmail.com.