MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – An 8-year-old boy who was airlifted to the hospital after being bitten by a shark off the Florida Keys was stable at last check, according to News 6 partner Local 10 News .

It happened around 3:30 p.m. Monday as the boy, his father, and his sister were snorkeling and spearfishing off Horseshoe Reef in Key Largo, the sheriff’s office said.

A nearby boater operating a dive vessel helped take the family back to Garden Cove Marina, where Key Largo firefighters were waiting. The boy, who had been bitten above the knee, was alert and answering questions, officials said.

“We get there, we realize it’s an 8-year-old boy,” engineer Marcos Gonzalez said.

When the injured boy arrived, officials said his sister was applying pressure to a makeshift tourniquet.

“The sis

See Full Page