A 10-year-old Maryland boy experienced a terrifying encounter with a shark during a vacation at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The incident occurred on January 15, shortly before 4 pm.
The boy, engaged in a shark tank expedition, suffered a shark bite to his right leg. He was transported to a local hospital and is currently in stable condition. The specifics of his injuries remain undisclosed, and in respect for his privacy, his identity has not been revealed.
Police Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings stated to NBC News on Tuesday that she hadn’t been to the aquarium at Atlantis Paradise resort and couldn’t describe the safeguards implemented during the “Shark Tank” exploration.
The Atlantis Paradise Island offers visitors a snorkeling experience where they can swim alongside graceful sharks, spotted rays, and vividly colored tropical fish in an underwater environment.
Two witnesses to the incident said they were inside the tank at Atlantis Paradise Island when the young boy was attacked. They were participating in an underwater activity called “Walking with the Sharks,” which was organized by an external company. The resort’s website previously described the experience as “effortless and enjoyable,” offering an opportunity to observe Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks from a close distance. However, it seems that the resort has removed the activity from its website following the incident.
This recent shark encounter in the Bahamas follows another incident in December, where a 44-year-old woman from Massachusetts was killed by a shark while paddleboarding near the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort in New Providence, Bahamas. These incidents have raised concerns about the frequency and severity of shark attacks in the region.
Shark attacks are generally rare, as emphasized by John Carlson, a research fishery biologist with NOAA Fisheries. This perspective is supported by the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack Files, which recorded 57 unprovoked shark bites across the globe in 2022, the majority occurring in the United States and Australia.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force is investigating the circumstances of the recent shark attack involving the Maryland boy.
