Civilian Navy employee critically injured in shark attack

A civilian Navy employee was critically injured in a shark attack on Monday while swimming near a marina at Naval Support Activity Panama City in Florida. The man, described as being in his late 20s, was swimming with a colleague during his lunch break when the attack occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. He suffered severe injuries to both arms and was transported to HCA Florida Gulf Coast Hospital for emergency surgery.

The attack drew widespread attention after video footage showed a violent struggle in the water. The second person in the water was not injured. Officials said the victim, a civilian employee with the Naval Surface Warfare Center who had worked at the base for four years, was out of surgery by Tuesday and could be transferred to a trauma center for further treatment. His name has not been released.

Capt. Tristan Oliveira, commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Panama City, expressed that the base's thoughts and prayers were with the employee's family and thanked first responders. He stated that the safety of all personnel remains paramount in base operations. The investigation involves multiple agencies, including the Bay County Sheriff's Office, the...