A surfer was attacked by a shark at Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park on Wednesday, March 18
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Off-duty lifeguards rescued the man and provided medical aid before he was taken to the hospital in Fort Bragg
The beach was closed for 48 hours, as part of the department's protocol
A surfer in California is recovering from serious wounds sustained in a shark attack.
The man, who is reportedly 39 years old according toABC7 and local news outletKTVU FOX 2, was catching waves off the coast of Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park on Wednesday, March 18, when he suffered injuries to both legs.
He was bitten by the shark at 5.18 p.m. local time and was helped out of the water by three off-duty lifeguards, who also gave him medical attention, theCaliornia State Lifeguards said in a Instagram statementon Friday, March 20.
The wounded surfer was then transported for hospital care at Fort Bragg, the statement continued.
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"This incident highlights the importance of having ocean lifeguard programs and we thank our lifeguards for their quick, heroic actions," the Caliornia State Lifeguards added in the statement.
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"Lifeguards are an important part of the EMS and first-responder network along the rural northern California coastline. Although uncommon, shark bites are one of the many different types of emergencies our lifeguards are trained to respond to and treat," it continued.
"State Parks has posted signs at nearby beaches, notifying the public of a 48-hour beach closure as part of the department's protocol," the statement said, before adding that "sharks are an important part of the coastal ecosystem and that interactions between people and sharks are rare."
Several agencies, such as the Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Mendocino Coast paramedics, helped respond to the incident, per the Caliornia State Lifeguards.
The release added that the CDFW has collected evidence and is now leading an investigation into the attack.
California State Parks, Mendocino Volunteer Fire Department, CDFW and Mendocino Sheriff's Search and Rescue Team were contacted by PEOPLE but they did not immediately respond.
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