Shark bites Georgia woman off Florida’s Atlantic coast

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – A 51-year-old Georgia woman is recovering after authorities say a shark bit her on the thigh as she swam off of Florida’s Atlantic coast.

Melanie Lawson tells Orlando television station WESH (http://bit.ly/2od4NSw ) she had told her children not to go deeper than 3 feet (about 1 metre) as they swam off New Smyrna Beach on Wednesday. She says she felt something hit her, knocking her over in the water, and then felt the pain.

Lawson, who lives in Marietta north of Atlanta, was taken to a hospital for treatment.

She says she’ll go back in the ocean again, but added it will probably be a long time.

Lawson says she and her family are heading home Thursday.

Volusia County beach safety spokeswoman Tammy Marris says it’s the second shark bite reported this year.