12-year-old boy attacked by shark whereas swimming in Bahamas – National

A 12-year-old American boy was attacked by a shark this week whereas within the Bahamas, in line with the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

In a news release, Bahamian police mentioned the encounter passed off on Tuesday in Staniel Cay, Exuma, and “left a juvenile male injured.”

“According to the preliminary report, shortly before 3:30 p.m., police received information that a 12-year-old American boy was transported to New Providence by boat after being attacked by a shark,” police mentioned.

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The boy’s mom reported to police that whereas on a tour within the Exuma Cays space, the boy was swimming together with his brother when a shark attacked him.

“He received medical treatment for his injuries and was last listed in stable condition,” police added.

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The Royal Bahamas Police Force didn’t launch the boy’s id or the kind of shark concerned within the encounter.

The University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF) stories that the percentages of being bitten by a shark are extremely low. ISAF recommends ocean swimmers keep near shore, keep away from swimming at daybreak or nightfall and keep away from extreme splashing.

The ISAF investigated 105 alleged shark-human interactions worldwide in 2025, with 5 complete instances coming from the Bahamas.

ISAF confirmed 65 unprovoked shark bites on people and 29 provoked bites, which happen when a human initiates interplay with a shark not directly.

The 2025 worldwide complete of 65 confirmed unprovoked instances is in step with the newest five-year (2020 to 2024) common of 61 incidents yearly, in line with the ISAF.

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Earlier this yr, a research reported that sharks within the Bahamas examined optimistic for consuming cocaine, caffeine and different substances.

According to the findings, revealed within the journal Environmental Pollution, prescription drugs reminiscent of acetaminophen and sertraline, in addition to caffeine, cocaine and different chemical compounds, have been current within the methods of three shark species.

Known as CEC, or contaminants of rising concern, these substances have been discovered to be significantly prevalent in vacationer areas.

Of the 85 sharks analyzed within the research, Caribbean reef sharks, Atlantic nurse sharks and lemon sharks have been discovered to have various ranges of the painkillers diclofenac and acetaminophen of their our bodies, in addition to cocaine and caffeine.

Research additionally discovered that sharks that had consumed CECs “showed altered triglycerides, urea, and lactate levels,” which can trigger “physiological responses” in species that take a look at optimistic for contaminants.

—With recordsdata from Global News’ Rachel Goodman

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