Two people were bitten by a shark off the coast of a Texas island while beachgoers were celebrating July 4th.

 Four individuals encountered a shark while swimming off South Padre Island on the Independence Day holiday, Texas officials reported. Two of them sustained bites, while another was injured while trying to help, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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"Current information indicates that two individuals suffered bites, and two others had encounters with the shark but were not seriously injured," the department stated.

The victims bitten by the shark were taken to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville. One is currently receiving treatment, while the other has been flown for further medical care, the department added.

A third person sustained minor injuries while assisting one of the bite victims, although the exact circumstances of their injury remain unclear, as per the department's information shared with CNN.

Additionally, another beachgoer reported feeling a shark brush against them as it swam by, according to the department.

"These types of shark encounters are rare in Texas," the statement noted. "When shark bites do occur, they are often cases of mistaken identity as sharks search for food."

Earlier reports from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Captain Chris Dowdy to CNN affiliate KRGV indicated at least four shark-related incidents had been reported at South Padre Island. Dowdy suggested these incidents were likely linked to the same shark, which later moved into open waters.

Two off-duty Border Patrol agents from the Search, Trauma, and Rescue Unit were credited with rescuing one victim from the water and applying a tourniquet to their leg, according to a US Customs and Border Protection official.

The first attack was reported to the South Padre Island Police Department at 11 a.m., according to the city’s Public Information Officer Nikki Soto, who said officers provided immediate treatment and transported the male victim to a local hospital.

Soto added that South Padre Island Beach patrol, fire, and police personnel are patrolling the shoreline and using drones to monitor the area for the shark.

Nereyda Bazaldua shared with CNN that her daughter was one of those bitten. Bazaldua recounted that her two teenage daughters were playing with boogie boards in knee-deep water near the shore when they started yelling about a shark. When her 18-year-old daughter Victoria emerged from the water, Bazaldua noticed blood on her leg, though Victoria's injuries were fortunately minor.

"The shark bumped into her and scratched her leg with five or six teeth," Bazaldua said. "The wounds were not deep." Bazaldua mentioned that the shark remained in the water for about 20 to 30 minutes before leaving.

"We didn't see the shark until it was right there with them," she said. "The water was calm, and it appeared out of nowhere."

A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter flew over South Padre Island to deter the shark from approaching the shore after the incidents, according to a spokesperson. 

"The Texas Department of Public Safety's Aircraft Division responded to South Padre Island to assist local authorities with a shark encounter," said Lt. Chris Olivarez. Olivarez shared helicopter footage with CNN showing the shark swimming in the water against the waves on Thursday afternoon. "DPS remained on scene until the shark was no longer a threat," Olivarez added.

According to the International Shark Attack File, managed by the University of Florida, there have been fewer than ten reported shark bites in Texas since 2012. This places Texas behind states such as Florida (259 reported bites), Hawaii (76), South Carolina (45), North Carolina (31), and California (29).

Patrick McNulty, mayor of South Padre Island, expressed concern for the injured and their families, offering hopes for a swift recovery.

South Padre Island is located approximately 100 miles from Padre Island National Seashore, at the opposite end of what was once a continuous island, according to the National Park Service.

Padre Island (also known as North Padre Island) is recognized as the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island globally, featuring 70 miles of protected coastline, according to the park service. It separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre.