3 Shark Attacks At The Same Florida Beach Within 24 Hours

Three people were bitten by a shark within a 24-hour span at a Florida beach. It happened Sunday at New Smyrna Beach. The community is known as the "shark bite capital of the world."

A Nashville man was standing in knee-deep water when a shark bit his right foot. He was treated for minor lacerations.

On Saturday, two surfers were bitten within minutes of one another at the same beach. Authorities say a 23-year-old woman was bitten on the left hand and wrist, which required her to receive stitches. A short time later, a 21-year-old man was bitten on his right foot and was treated at the scene. Neither bite was life-threatening.

Their identities were not immediately available. The type of shark or sharks involved was not known.

The University of Florida's International Shark Attack file says there have been 17 suspected shark bites involving humans in the state this year.

Recent shark sightings have also forced officials to close Cape Cod beaches this summer. CBS News correspondent Don Dahler reported that the close encounters has caused a lull in vacation home rentals and an increase in swimming pool construction on the Cape.

Marine biologists believe great whites have become more active in those waters because of a resurgence of the seal population, due to federal protections. But experts say blacktip sharks, not great whites, are most often responsible for bites.