A 63-year-old American tourist was seriously injured after a shark attacked him during a spearfishing trip near Big Grand Cay on Abaco Island in the Bahamas over the weekend.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force stated on Facebook that the incident occurred shortly after 1 p.m. on August 17. The victim was initially treated at a nearby clinic and later airlifted to the United States for further medical care. No additional details about the incident or the victim’s condition were released.
While shark attacks in the Bahamas are rare, the country has one of the highest rates relative to its population, according to the International Shark Attack File, which has recorded 34 confirmed unprovoked attacks over the past 400 years, ranking the Bahamas ninth globally.
This incident follows other recent shark-related injuries involving U.S. tourists. In February, two Americans were injured in a suspected shark attack while swimming at Bimini Bay, a resort area about 50 miles from Miami.
In December 2023, Lauren Erickson Van Wart, a 44-year-old newlywed from Massachusetts, was fatally bitten while paddleboarding near New Providence Island. A month later, in January 2024, a 10-year-old boy from Maryland was bitten on the leg during a shark tank experience at a Paradise Island resort and was hospitalized.
The U.S. State Department issued a Level 2 travel advisory for the Bahamas in March, urging travelers to “exercise increased caution” due to shark-related risks.
“Stay alert for sharks. Shark attacks have led to serious injuries and death,” the advisory stated.