An American tourist suffered “severe injuries” after being attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas, People reported.
What happened to the American tourist attacked by a shark in the Bahamas?
On Sunday, Aug. 17, at around 1 p.m. local time, police on the island of Abaco, in Big Grand Cay, were summoned to a gruesome scene. A 63-year-old tourist from the U.S. was horrifically injured after a shark attacked him during a spearfishing expedition. The victim, whose identity has not been made public, sustained “severe injuries” in the incident. He was first transported to a local medical clinic before being airlifted back to the United States. As of Monday morning, there has been no update regarding the victim’s condition.
Spearfishing, which is popular for both tourists and locals in the Bahamas, involves standing in knee-high water and using a sharp implement to impale fish. It’s unclear how or why the shark was attracted to the scene, or if the victim or another spearfisher attempted to stab the shark before the attack. The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Men’s Journal.
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How many fatal shark attacks have occurred worldwide in 2025?
Tracking Sharks, which shares data on the location of sharks worldwide, reports that there have been just 38 shark attack bites globally throughout 2025. As of July, only eight of those attacks proved fatal. Twelve of those attacks occurred in the United States, but none of those resulted in fatalities. In March, the U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory for the Bahamas following a series of shark attacks and unrelated crime incidents. Americans were cautioned to “stay alert for sharks” while visiting the Caribbean country. “Shark attacks have led to serious injuries and death,” department officials said at the time.
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