A 13-year-old boy was attacked by a shark measuring approximately four metres long at Beacons Beach in San Diego, California, on Saturday morning, several US media reported.

The teenager was diving for lobster with several others when he felt the bite and screamed that he had been bitten. The other divers immediately placed the victim in a kayak and pulled him out of the water.

Minutes later he was rushed to the hospital by helicopter and according to the latest reports he was in critical condition after undergoing surgery; the wounds were caused at shoulder level.

According to what a local told Surfline, the attack took place at a reef everyone calls South Peak. “They weren’t even further back than the lineup,” he said. “Since the waves are knee-high, they were diving where we always sit and wait for the waves.”

Authorities have closed the beaches between Swamis and Ponto beaches for 48 hours. The Stone Steps Invitational championship, which was to take place yesterday, has been cancelled.

Last year, Southern California had a series of attacks that were uncharacteristic for that area. According to what locals expressed on social media, this attack does not bode well for the following sessions.