Bahamas - A 12‑year‑old American boy was suddenly attacked by a shark while swimming in the Bahamas during a family vacation.
It was supposed to be an unforgettable trip to the beautiful Exuma Cays, a chain of islands in the Bahamas, but the excursion quickly took a serious turn.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force reported on Facebook that the boy was attacked by a shark off Staniel Cay on Tuesday afternoon at around 3:30 PM while exploring with his brother.
The waters off Staniel Cay are famous for their wildlife. Alongside rays and sea turtles, sharks are a regular part of the ecosystem.
Police did not disclose which shark species was responsible for the attack, nor the severity of the injuries.
The Bahamas are increasingly becoming a hotspot for shark encounters.
After the shock attack, rescue crews acted immediately.
The injured child was taken by boat to New Providence, the most populous island in the Bahamas.
According to the police, the boy was last listed in stable condition.
Although such attacks are extremely rare – only 29 unprovoked incidents have been officially recorded in the Bahamas over the past 400 years by the International Shark Attack File – dangerous encounters still occur in the shallow, fish‑rich waters.
As CBS News reports, several US tourists were seriously injured in similar incidents just last year.