Shark attack off Florida coast leaves Navy base employee with critical injuries

A United States Navy base employee was seriously injured after he was attacked by a shark while swimming off a popular Florida beach on Monday, officials say.

According to the Navy, the man was swimming near a marina in Panama City when he was attacked by the shark.

He was rushed to a hospital with critical injuries to his arms.

Officials said the water off the Florida Panhandle is a nursery for shark species.

"In some of the species, they just move in shore and offshore when it gets cold," NOAA researcher Dr. John Carlson said. "You know, when the water temperature gets down into the 60s and stuff they'll move offshore. But other species have very broad migration. Some species will migrate all the way to South Florida to southern areas in the Gulf."

Experts advise people to not swim in area where there may be fishing. Anyone who encounters a shark is also asked to remain calm.