A 17-year-old boy is hospitalized after suffering serious injuries from a shark bite while aboard a boat offshore near Galveston, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. According to our sister station KPRC in Houston, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office received a call about the emergency around 3:50 p.m. Monday and contacted the Coast Guard for assistance. Officials said the teen was boating with his father and another person when the incident happened. According to information confirmed by the Coast Guard, the group was returning toward the Galveston Yacht Basin when their boat became disabled near the jetties. Sources told KPRC the boat may have been several hours offshore before turning back, though the Coast Guard said it could not independently confirm how far the vessel had traveled. Authorities said a tourniquet was applied to the teen before rescue crews arrived in an effort to stop severe bleeding from the bite. Coast Guard crews responded to the scene and applied a second tourniquet before transporting the teen and his father to awaiting EMS personnel, officials said. Despite the severity of the injuries, officials said the 17-year-old was conscious and alert during the rescue. Sources later confirmed to KPRC that the teen was taken to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston for treatment. Officials have not released additional information about the teen’s condition or the exact nature of the injury. For updates on this story, please visit KPRC Houston. ...read more read less