American boy attacked by shark in Bahamas while swimming with brother
A 12-year-old American boy is in stable condition after being attacked by a shark in the Bahamas, authorities said Wednesday.
The boy was traveling with his family in the Exuma Cays when the incident occurred. according to a statement From the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Police said he was attacked by a shark around 3.30pm on Tuesday while swimming at Staniel Cay with his brother.
The RBPF did not specify what injuries the child suffered but said he was transported by boat to New Providence, the Bahamas’ most populous island and home to the country’s capital, Nassau. He received medical treatment, police said. His condition is stable as of Wednesday.
Exuma Cays is popular for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. The waters off Staniel Cay are dotted with coral reefs and shipwrecks, and are home to a variety of wildlife including sea turtles, stingrays and sharks. The Royal Bahamas Police Force did not specify what type of shark bit the boy.
Made up of more than 700 islands, the Bahamas has one of the world’s highest rates of unprovoked shark attacks. Although the country is small, it has the ninth highest number of such attacks. International Shark Attack FileA database tracking human-shark encounters worldwide. But attacks are still extremely rare: database only shows 30 Unprovoked shark attacks in the Bahamas over the last 400 years have been confirmed.
Many Americans have been injured in shark attacks in the Bahamas in recent years. Two Americans in February 2025 women were attacked While swimming off Bimini Bay in the westernmost part of the Bahamas. One woman was seriously injured.
Later, in August 2025, a 63-year-old American man seriously wounded He was spearfishing off the island of Abaco when he was attacked by a shark. The man was flown to the United States for additional treatment.
One in January 2024 A 10-year-old boy from Maryland He was bitten on the leg by a shark and was taken to the hospital. A. Boston woman dies After being attacked by a shark in December 2023 while paddling with a family member.
