How Many Shark Attacks While Snorkeling?

Over the past 57 years, there have been 187 shark attacks recorded worldwide, with 112 victims being snorkelers, 62 scuba divers, and 13 using a surface-supplied breathing apparatus. According to ISAF International Shark Attack File, snorkelers make up only 4% of all incidents, while 60% involve surfers and body surfers. The number of attacks shows a declining trend, with an annual average of approximately 70-80 unprovoked cases mainly in the US, Australia, Brazil, and South America.

Hawaii is probably the most dangerous state for shark attacks, with the second highest number of recorded bites. In 2023, there were 84 shark attacks around the world, making it statistically more likely for people to get injured or killed by a snake or a falling coconut back. In 2023, a 30-year-old woman was attacked by a shark while snorkeling at Rat Island in the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia.

The International Shark Attack File investigated 120 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide in 2023. In 2023, 69 unprovoked shark bites were confirmed. A bull shark attacked and killed a 58-year-old U.S. cruise ship passenger who was snorkeling around the Bahamas on Tuesday. Worldwide, there were 137 shark attacks last year, 73 of them unprovoked, according to the International Shark Attack File.

Final shark attacks remain incredibly rare, with a person’s chance of being attacked by a shark in the U.S. being 1 in 11.5 million. To defend yourself, it is difficult to read the body language of a shark, so it is important to back away with at least six feet of space between you and put your back against something solid. Being attacked by sharks is rare, and in general, snorkeling and scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef should not pose any problems.