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Shark kills surfer off Vandenberg AFB beach today!

The Santa Barbara County sheriff’s department said that Francisco Javier Solorio Jr., 39, of Orcutt, was killed in a shark attack off the coast of Surf Beach on Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB) in Lompoc today, bitten by the shark in his upper torso. A friend pulled Solorio to shore and administered first aid while another surfer called for help. Paramedics pronounced Solorio dead at the scene. According to SantaCruzSentinel.com:

The Air Force said he was not affiliated with the base, which allows public access to some of its beaches. All beaches on the base’s coastline will be closed for at least 72 hours, as a precaution, Col. Nina Armagno said Tuesday evening.

The type of shark involved and other details were under investigation.

It was the latest shark attack fatality at Surf Beach, about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

In October 2010, Lucas Ransom, a 19-year-old student at the University of California, Santa Barbara, died when a shark nearly severed his leg as he body-boarded.

No shark warnings were posted on Surf Beach on Tuesday. Such warnings are not usually posted unless there has been a recent shark sighting.

“We’ve had shark sightings up and down the Santa Barbara coastline pretty frequently recently,” said <Lieutenant Erik> Raney, adding that the sightings are well-publicized.

Last month, warning signs were posted at Santa Barbara Harbor, about 65 miles southeast of Surf Beach, after a 14-foot great white shark was spotted by a surfer.

In July, a man escaped injury near Santa Cruz after being thrown from his kayak by a great white shark that bit through the vessel. An almost identical incident occurred off the coast of Cambria in May.

According to the Pew Environment Group, an average of 65 shark attacks occur around the world each year, resulting in two or three deaths.

-Bill at

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