US shark attack: Officials launch search for shark believed to be responsible for two near-fatal attacks

Two people were attacked by a shark 90 minutes apart at a North Carolina beach on Sunday

Emergency aid is given to a 14-year-old girl who was attacked by a shark off a beach in North Carolina (AP )

Officials in a North Carolina beach town have began hunting a shark that is believed to have attacked two teenagers over the weekend.

The search team is using a boat and helicopter to try and flush out the suspected shark, which left both teenagers missing limbs and in critical condition.

A 14-year-old girl was attacked shortly after 4pm local time in the coastal waters of Oak Island. Her screams alerted a man swimming nearby, who came to her aid, but she had suffered severe wounds to her left arm and leg.

Both have undergone surgery and are reported to be in stable condition. It is the first shark attack in recent memory at Oak Island, the Charlotte Observer reported.

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