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Kayaker Bitten By Shark Off Malibu Coast

POINT MUGU (CBSLA.com) — A kayaker was bitten by a shark just south of Point Mugu on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The kayaker was treated on the scene near Deer Creek Beach, between Point Mugu and Carrillo State Park in Malibu, and was airlifted to Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Ventura County Fire said.

He was about a mile and a half off of the shoreline when the shark bit him.

The shark that attacked the kayaker was a 10-foot, 250 pound hammerhead shark, according to authorities.

Beaches in the Malibu area remained open after the attack.

The condition of the kayaker, was not immediately known. He could be seen on aerial footage being transported to the hospital with a bandage on his foot.

He was awake and alert during the transport, and was able to paddle to shore himself after the attack.

Medics said they were able to contain the bleeding at the scene and the victim did not lose a limb.

A good Samaritan in a fishing boat helped the kayaker after the attack by taking him on board his own vessel and helped him control the bleeding.

It is not common for hammerhead sharks to be lurking in the area.

However, according to Lidia Barillas, the spokeswoman for the county lifeguards, there have been several sighting of the distinct type of sharks over the past few weeks, specifically around the areas near Point Dume and off Catalina Island.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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