Have Sharks Ever Attacked A Snorkeling?

The death of a California college student in a shark attack while snorkeling in the Bahamas in June has sparked renewed fear of underwater predators. However, shark attacks are extremely rare, accounting for 6% of all shark attacks worldwide. A cruise ship passenger from Pennsylvania died after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling with her family in the Bahamas. A 30-year-old woman was attacked by a shark while snorkeling at Rat Island, a popular tourist destination in the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia.

Surfers and other board sports account for more than half of shark attacks worldwide. Six out of the more than 500 species of shark have ever attacked humans, and most bites in the United States can be traced to just four species. A bull shark attacked and killed a 58-year-old U.S. cruise ship passenger who was snorkeling around the Bahamas on Tuesday.

An expert has said that sea swimmers should not be deterred from having a dip, as seen in a suspected shark attack off the Cornwall coast. Marine biologist Hannah Rudd stated that the chances of being attacked by a shark in the U.S. is 1 in 11.5 million, and the chance of being attacked on the surface while snorkeling make it the most dangerous place for snorkelers.

Snorkeling down to a safe area is not recommended, but diving down to a safe area can help reduce the odds of being bitten by a shark. The odds of being bit by a shark are 1 in 3 million, making it advisable to avoid areas where shark attacks are more common.