17-year-old hospitalized after bitten by shark in Galveston, according to Coast Guard

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A 17-year-old male was rushed to the hospital after he was bitten by a shark in Galveston on Monday afternoon, according to the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officials told ABC13 that the Galveston County Sheriff's Office notified them at about 3:15 p.m. of a boat with the teenager and his father on board. After the teenager suffered the shark bite, his father immediately applied a tourniquet, authorities said.

When their boat was coming back to shore, it became disabled, according to officials. That's when the Coast Guard was called out to the boat, where they applied a second tourniquet to the teenager, authorities said. It is unknown why the boat became disabled.

The Coast Guard explained that the teenager was alert and conscious when they arrived. He was then taken to a nearby hospital, according to officials.

Officials have not said what led to the shark attack.

This is a developing story. Eyewitness News is continuing to gather facts.