A POPULAR holiday destination has been dubbed “the shark capital of the world”.
New Smyrna Beach is a seemingly idyllic paradise known for its pristine sands and perfect surf, but beneath the waves lurks a darker reality.
Here, where thrill-seekers flock for a taste of the ocean, bloodthirsty predators lurk just out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
With alarming frequency, swimmers and surfers find themselves in terrifying encounters, as these underwater hunters shred limbs and leave behind a trail of fear in the water.
Experts say that unlike anywhere else on Earth, including Spain and Egypt, Florida’s New Smyrna Beach is a prime hotspot for shark bites.
The surf destination claims the ominous accolade, with five shark attacks recorded last year, according to International Shark Attack Figures.
And another two shark attacks occurred in two days just last month, USA Today reports.
One targeted a 26-year-old male who was wading through five feet of water, while the other targeted a 21-year-old who was playing American football in knee-deep water.
And in August, a firefighter from Florida was bitten by a shark that saw him suffer two torn tendons.
The seven attacks so far recorded in 2024 are already in a scary rampage towards the 16 bites recorded in the entire state of Florida in 2023, according to Pensacola News Journal.
Although the beach is a picturesque location on the Atlantic Ocean, it is also dangerously with hurricanes and rip currents.
Shark researcher Dr Gavin Naylor believes that New Smyrna Beach holds the eerie title due to a “confluence of factors”.
He told the Daily Star: “You find so many bites [in Volusia County] and not so many in other places, it tells you that something about that region is conducive toward shark bites, which is not in other places.”
“You need a bunch of sharks, and they need to be in the mood to bite things, and you need a bunch of people in the same area at the same time.”
The evolutionary biologist clarified that there is a 40ft-deep dredge in the Ponce Inlet outflow, which enters the Atlantic directly north of New Smyrna Beach.
Dr Naylor explained: “Water comes in and out with the tide, and it brings a lot of nutrients.
“As it curves down, it mixes with the other current, and there is a really great surf break.”
Great surf and nutrient-rich water combine to make the nearby beaches “a perfect spot” for fish and surfers alike, the shark expert said.
Blacktip sharks, in particular, prey on the mullet and menhadens that swim in the seas.
Dr Naylor added: “Blacktip sharks go to that little patch of water, because there are all sorts of food in there.
“Also, because of the surf, it’s very turbid and the sharks can’t see very well.
“So now you’ve got these sharks that are all jingled up and trying to find their lunch, swimming all over the place chasing mullet and menhaden in low visibility water, plus 50 or 60 people with arms and legs dangling off the edge of their boards looking for their perfect wave.”
The expert believes that it’s only a matter of time until famished blacktip sharks confuse a foot or limb for a fish.
“Fortunately, most of the sharks in that area are highly piscivorous sharks, such as blacktips and spinners,” Dr Naylor said.
“If they were bull sharks or tiger sharks, they might stick around a little bit more and the injuries would be a lot worse.”
According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), Volusia County, where New Smyrna Beach is located, consistently records the highest number of shark bites annually.
Over the years, the sheer number of incidents, albeit mostly minor, has cemented New Smyrna Beach’s reputation.
New Smyrna Beach is close to Ponce Inlet, a narrow waterway that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Intracoastal Waterway.
This inlet creates strong tidal flows, which attract a variety of fish and, consequently, sharks.
The concentration of prey fish in this area makes it an ideal hunting ground for the water beasts.
The warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean along New Smyrna Beach are home to an abundant array of marine life, which includes fish, rays, and other sea creatures that sharks feed on.
The high density of prey species in these waters is another major factor in the presence of sharks.
New Smyrna Beach is a popular destination for surfers due to its consistent waves.
Surfers spend a lot of time in the water and, from below, their silhouettes can resemble the prey of many shark species.
This increases the likelihood of sharks mistaking them for food, leading to more frequent encounters.
The beach is also one of Florida’s most visited, attracting locals and tourists alike.
With so many people in the water, the probability of shark encounters naturally rises.
New Smyrna Beach consistently records a high number of shark bites each year.
In some years, it has accounted for more than half of all shark attacks in the entire state of Florida.
For instance, in 2020, Volusia County, where New Smyrna Beach is located, accounted for 50 per cent of all shark bites in Florida.
But despite the frequent incidents, fatalities are extremely rare.
The vast majority of shark bites at New Smyrna Beach are minor, involving only one or two quick bites before the shark swims away.
THE first Strictly Come Dancing star to be “axed” has been “revealed” – juts hours before the 2024 launch show.
This weekend, loyal viewers of the BBC One series will see the programme kick off its 20th instalment.
The will see the Strictly Come Dancing celeb cohort in full – as well as learn which professional they are partnered up with.
Yet speculation is mounting as to who will be booted off in next week’s live show – with the unlucky star tipped to be ex footballer Paul Merson, 56.
Bookies Ladbrokes have placed the sports ace at odds of 5/2 to be the first dancefloor casualty.
Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes told The Sun: “Before a move is even made, punters are backing Paul Merson to be the first star axed from Strictly.
“He’s not the only one in the danger zone though, with Nick Knowles and Punam Krishan also expected to underperform.”
Tipping the other end of the scales, Tasha Ghouri, Jamie Borthwick, JB Gill and Shayne Ward are all placed with odds of 4/1 to take home the Glitter Ball trophy.
We exclusively revealed ex Arsenal star Paul, who has overcome drink, drug and gambling addictions, had signed up for the series in July.
At the time, sources told how the Sky Sports pundit would be “a popular addition.”
They added: “Footballers always do well with fans, whether they can dance or not.
But he also has a past, having had to battle addictions to drugs, booze and gambling.”
Paul played for Arsenal for 11 series and earned 21 England caps.
Earlier this week, we reported how he was left fuming at show bosses after they selected his first dance song.
He was reportedly left irked after the song Vindaloo was chosen for his opening routine.
Vindaloo is a song by British band Fat Les, and the music was co-written by Blur bassist Alex James and part-time Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt.
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It was released as a single in 1998 and recorded for the FIFA World Cup that same year.
The song was originally written as a parody of football chants, but was adopted as one in its own right and became a cult classic.
But in recent years, Vindaloo has been seen as a controversial World Cup anthem and has been deemed racist.
An onlooker at the filming of Strictly’s first episode has now told The Mail on Sunday that the star had to re-do his reaction to being told he’d dance to Vindaloo, after he appeared noticeably “cross.”
They said: “Paul looked really cross. The celebrities and their partners were being told what songs they would have. Lots of them were given lovely classics – then he got Vindaloo.
“You can’t blame him for thinking he is being set up to be the joke act, but also the connotations of it [the song] are also not exactly positive either.
“It’s pretty thoughtless of the BBC to give it to one of their stars of Strictly, particularly given all of the scandals that have engulfed the show for the last nine months.
“The BBC clearly forgot its woke agenda on this occasion.”
MATTHIJS de Ligt and Marcus Rashford grabbed the first-half goals to postpone the next Erik ten Hag crisis for at least another week.
But Manchester United were let off the hook by a Southampton side who outplayed them in the opening half an hour and failed to convert a penalty.
It would have been fascinating to see how United responded to that kind of setback.
In the end, though, Ten Hag’s side ran out comfortable enough winners and he avoided becoming the first United boss to lose three Premier League games in a row since 2015.
The Saints never recovered from somehow finding themselves two down at the break after striker Cameron Archer let them down at both ends.
First the £15m summer signing hit his spotkick far too close to United goalkeeper Andre Onana after Diogo Dalot brought down teenage winger Tyler Dibling.
De Ligt headed United into the lead a few minutes later and then Archer was guilty of failing to close down Rashford, who curled a fine shot in off the far post to make it two.
The Saints’ misery was complete when captain Jack Stephens was shown a straight red card – somewhat harshly – for a cynical lunge on United substitute Alejandro Garnacho, who made it three in stoppage-time from Dalot’s cross.
It was a bitter end to a game that had started so well for the home team.
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Dibling, 18, one of four home players making their first Premier League start for the club, skinned Dalot as early as the seventh minute and forced a save out of Onana.
Joshua Zirkzee had a great chance at the other end when Eriksen touched the ball into his path but the Dutchman’s shot on the stretch from inside the six-yard box was not good enough to beat Aaron Ramsdale.
In the 17th minute, Kyle Walker-Peters made De Ligt look like a novice but failed to find the right pass from the byline. United broke down the other end and Bruno Fernandes shot well wide.
Southampton looked much the better team.
Dalot’s torment continued when Mateus Fernandes cut inside him and fired in a cross-shot that De Ligt cut out.
And when the United full back fouled Dibling, Lesley Ugochukwu sent a free header over the bar from Yuki Sugawara’s free kick.
But Dalot’s luck seemed to have run out when he was once more beaten by Dibling and brought him down in the box.
Ben Brereton Diaz has a good record from the penalty spot yet the Saints forward handed the ball to Archer.
The young striker’s spotkick was far too close to Onana who saved to his right and had plenty of time to stand up and save Archer’s headed follow-up.
Punishment was not long coming. Ramsdale saved a deflected shot by Zirkzee but his defence was sleeping from the resulting corner.
It was played short to Fernandes and De Ligt headed the fine cross out of reach of Ramsdale’s right arm.
A minutes later, Southampton were guilty of the same kind of failure.
Ramsdale made a good save from Rashford after another United break. This time the corner was overhit, but in the second pahse poor Archer failed to close down Rashford quick enough and his well-placed shot went in off the far post.
United started the second half on the front foot. Full back Noussair Mazraoui hit the outside of the post and Rashford had a shot blocked by Jan Bednarek.
Southampton did not look like a team who believed they could find a way back into the game.
United, and Amad Diallo in particular, sensed their fragility and only some last-ditch defending stopped the visitors extending their lead.
Then it was Ramsdale’s turn as he leapt athletically to push away a long-range shot by Rashford, whose confidence had risen visibly.
At that point, just after the hour, Martin made four substitutions. The decision to include Dibling in the players taken off was not popular with the home crowd.
Not much changed, or not enough, anyway.
Southampton did not create a single opening and their frustration told in the final 10 minutes.
As Garnacho tried to scamper down the left touchline, Stephens took him out. A yellow card looked like sufficient punishment, but Attwell reached for his red.
Garnacho’s late third underlined that those anticipating the dismissal of Ten Hag will have to wait.
MANCHESTER UNITED fans raged at Jack Stephens for his reckless challenge on Alejandro Garnacho.
The Southampton defender was given his marching orders for a horror tackle in the Argentine international in the 79th minute of the St Mary’s showdown.
Stephens, 30, scythed down the winger with a ridiculously high challenge, catching his right knee with his studs.
Garnacho was left in agony from the tackle, which came as Saints were 2-0 down.
The Manchester United bench leapt up in anger although referee Stuart Atwell took his time before giving the Saints star his marching orders.
And the Old Trafford faithful couldn’t believe their eyes.
One wrote on X: “Nasty challenge on Garnacho.”
Another said: “Stupid as well as dangerous from Jack Stephens.”
And another said: “Jack Stephens with a horrendous tackle. Rightfully sent off.”
One remarked: “Disgusting.”
Another chimed in: “F**k off down the tunnel Jack Stephens.”
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Former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole had a pitchside view for the tackle and believes the Atwell had no choice but to send Stephens for an early shower.
“It looked horrendous from my angle. You knew he weren’t getting away from him.
“As a centre-half, Stephens doesn’t want to be there. Garnacho knocked the ball [past him].
“And he’s done it, Fletch, right in front of the Manchester United bench.
“And they’ve all jumped up and rightly so.
“The ref seen that and I feel the ref actually showed a lot of restraint in not giving it straight away and giving himself time to think.
“But for me, it’s an easy straight red.”
Things went from bad to worse for Stephens and Southampton as Garnacho bagged United’s third and final goal of the match.
Defeat to United has extended Saints’ winless start to the new season and left them toiling in 19th place in the table.