A Shark Bite Has Been Reported off Cape Cod in Truro

June file photo of a great white off the Cape via Facebook/ Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Officials in Truro have confirmed that a swimmer suffered a shark bite in the waters off Longnook Beach on Cape Cod in Truro Wednesday afternoon. A 61-year-old man suffered potentially serious puncture wounds to his leg, officials say.

The apparent attack happened about 30 feet offshore just before 4:15 p.m. and the victim was flown in a helicopter away from the scene for treatment at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, according to a press release from the Truro Police Department.

Photos from the scene appear to show fellow beachgoers working together to help the victim off of the sand.

Just a powerful image in Truro after a 61 year old is bitten by a shark. People on the beach and emergency workers doing every thing they can to get this man help. People are good. For the victim. Thank you Mary Ellen for sharing the photo pic.twitter.com/R5etfWMpVO

— Maria Stephanos (@mariastephanos) August 16, 2018

Shark attacks are extremely rare, and only a minuscule number are documented each year. According to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, which studies sharks in the region, the last reported shark-related fatality in Massachusetts was in 1936. There has been an abundance of sightings of sharks off the Cape this summer, including one jaw-dropping video that showed a great white swimming toward a person standing on a paddle board before swimming away. Some of those cases have resulted in beach closures this season.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy statement on Truro shark bite: pic.twitter.com/N7NVARNJtD

— Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (@A_WhiteShark) August 15, 2018