Shark Attack in San Diego County

There was a very rare fatal shark attack in San Diego County this morning:

SOLANA BEACH, Calif. — A male triathlete swimmer was killed Friday morning in a gruesome and violent shark attack at a San Diego County beach.

The male victim — one of a group of triathlete swimmers training in the ocean — was pulled into shore, but efforts by medics to revive him failed, Deputy Fire Chief Dismas Abelman told FOX News.

Witnesses reported seeing the victim's leg severed at the knee.

"He had very severe injuries to both legs," Abelman told FOX. He said the wound was a single bite across both legs.

A marine biologist told a beachside news conference Friday that the animal was "almost certainly a great white shark."

"I was told that the victim was pushed up out of the water in a violent attack," said Richard Rosenblatt of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. "That's typical great white behavior."

Rosenblatt said the bite was likely "clean and massive" and believes the animal was a female.

The deceased swimmer, whose identity wasn't immediately released pending notification of next of kin, was described as being between 55 and 60 years old on the Solana Beach city Web site. He was swimming with the others when he was attacked at about 7 a.m.

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Shark Attack "It looks like the shark came up, bit him, and swam away," said Abelman. A group of about 10 swimmers wearing wetsuits were in the water at the time, he said.

The incident happened at a strip called Tide Beach, about 150 yards offshore. Rescuers took the victim to the nearby Fletcher Cove Park lifeguard station for emergency treatment, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 72-hour advisory closing area beaches was in effect until Monday, said Solana Beach Lifeguard Capt. Craig Miller. The Coast Guard has issued warnings of sharks in the area since the tragic attack. Swimmers were ordered out of the water for a 17-mile stretch around Solano Beach.

The county Sheriff's Department sent helicopters up to scan the waters for the shark. Miller said they'd patrol from the air until about 6 p.m. Friday, and return Saturday and Sunday.

"The shark is still in the area. We're sure of that," Mayor Joe Kellejian said.

Unfortunately, to a Great White swimmers wearing wetsuits often look and act like the shark's favorite prey, sea lions. With a warm weekend coming up the beaches will probably be pretty full in San Diego, but you probably won't see anybody in the water.