Swimmer injured in shark attack near San Diego

A woman was injured Friday when she was attacked by a shark while swimming in the Pacific Ocean north of San Diego, local officials say. Her injuries are not life threatening.

The incident happened just after 10 a.m. on Friday when the woman and a friend were heading back to shore after a mile-plus swim in Del Mar, about 20 miles north of San Diego.

The woman was taken to a hospital and treated for puncture and laceration wounds to her upper right thigh, lifeguard chief Jon Edelbrock told the Associated Press. She received stitches and is now recording.

The shark which attacked the woman is believed to be a juvenile white shark.

While sharks are a common fear, they only kill about five people per year on average, according to figures from the International Shark Attack File (ISAF). Eleven people were killed in shark attacks last year, including one in the U.S.