PANAMA CITY BEACH — Bay County beaches were closed on Friday following two shark attacks in neighboring Walton County.
According to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, beach flags were upgraded to double red on Friday, closing the Gulf of Mexico to beachgoers. This was done in response to “several reported shark attacks this afternoon in the waters off nearby Walton County.”
“Sheriff Tommy Ford has been in conversation with (the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) and has learned that bait fish are schooling near the shore at this time of year, which may have been a contributing factor in the attacks,” the release reads.
Related coverage: Back-to-back shark attacks injure child, adult near Florida beach; one victim lost hand
Reports from the Northwest Florida Daily News note there were two shark attacks on Friday that injured three people, two of whom were airlifted to local hospitals. One 45-year-old woman lost the lower left portion of her arm and was in critical condition as of Friday afternoon.
The third victim from Friday sustained flesh wounds and also was transported to a local hospital.
Watch the press conference about the shark attacks in Walton County here.
The BCSO release states that officials with Bay County and Panama City Beach both plan to post single red flags and purple flags across local beaches on Saturday.
Purple flags indicate dangerous marine life, and a single red flag indicates dangerous surf conditions.
“Residents and visitors are encouraged to use utmost caution when deciding to enter the water or permitting children to enter the Gulf this weekend,” the release reads.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay closes beaches following two shark attacks in Walton County
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