Tourist airlifted to hospital after being mauled by shark while spearfishing in Bahamas

A holidaymaker was airlifted to a US hospital on Sunday after he was savagely attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas, according to authorities.

The 63 year old tourist from America was attacked shortly after 1pm local time near Big Grand Cay on the island of Abaco, as per a statement shared on the Royal Bahamas Police Force's Facebook page. The man sustained serious injuries and was initially taken to a local clinic before being airlifted.

Abaco is situated about 200 miles east of Miami, Florida. The Mirror has reached out to the Royal Bahamas police for further information

READ MORE: Giant shark prowls shore as tourist beach evacuated in British holiday hotspot

READ MORE: Brit mum's 'horrendous' death after being scratched by puppy with rabies on holiday

While shark attacks are historically most common off the coasts of the U.S., Australia, South Africa and Brazil, the Bahamas still has one of the highest rates of shark attacks globally. Despite being the country with the ninth-highest attack rate, such incidents are still extremely rare, reports the Mirror US.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), there have been 34 unprovoked shark attacks in the Bahamas since 1580, equating to roughly one attack every 13 years. Although shark sightings can be relatively frequent in parts of the U.S. and Caribbean, statistics show that the likelihood of being bitten is low.

In 2024, a mere 47 individuals were victims of unprovoked shark attacks, marking the lowest figure in approximately three decades, according to the ISAF. Out of these incidents, only four tragically resulted in fatalities. This represented a significant decrease of about a third from 2023, with experts dubbing 2024 as "an exceptionally calm year for shark bites."

The U.S. was the site of 28 of last year's shark attacks, spread across six states. Florida, known for its extensive coastline and warm waters, was the hotspot for half of all U.S. attacks, making human-shark encounters more frequent. Australia recorded nine shark bites last year, while 10 other countries or territories each reported one incident.

In February, a shark attack at Bimini Bay, a popular resort area in the Bahamas, left two American tourists injured.

"Initial reports indicate that the victims, both USA residents, sustained injuries while swimming in the waters at Bimini Bay," stated a press release from the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Both tourists received initial treatment at a nearby clinic before being airlifted to New Providence, another Bahamian island, according to the statement. The police noted that one of the victims had suffered serious injuries.