A 39-year-old was killed in an apparent shark attack at Surf Beach
A 39-year-old surfer was killed by a shark on Tuesday near Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Fransisco Javier Solorio, of Orcutt, was killed off of Surf Beach in Lompoc, according to the Santa Barbara County Sherriff’s Department.
South Coast Today reports that Sergeant Mark A. Williams stated that Solorio was surfing with a friend who saw the shark either bite or hit the man. The friend swan over to him and pulled him to shore where he received first aid.
The friend started first aid while waiting for paramedics but Solorio was pronounced dead on the scene by paramedics.
NBC News reports, the Sheriff’s Department stated, “bitten by the shark in the upper torso area.”
Lieutenant Erik Raney of the sheriff’s department in Santa Maria said here were visible signs of bite marks on Solorio’s surfboard.
It is not apparent the type of shark that bit Solorio but the sheriff’s department had contacted an expert to confirm the injury.
Solorio is not affiliated with the base.
It had been since 2010 since the last fatal shark attack at Surf Beach. Lucas Ransom, 19, was body boarding when he disappeared about 100 yards off shore.
Surf Beach is closed until further notice because of safety considerations.
“We’ve had shark sightings up and down the Santa Barbara coastline pretty frequently recently,” Raney said.
