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Shark kills American who was paddleboarding near resort in Bahamas

While shark attacks are rare, especially fatal ones, this was the second fatal incident reported in about 48 hours.
A shark's fin.
Posted at 4:46 PM, Dec 04, 2023

An American tourist died on Monday after being attacked by a shark in the Bahamas, authorities said. 

The woman was reportedly paddleboarding near a resort when the shark attacked. 

A lifeguard who witnessed the attack immediately got onto a boat and recovered the woman, along with a male relative, and brought them back to shore, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. 

3 men rescued after sharks repeatedly attacked their inflatable boat
A partially submerged catamaran is shown during a rescue of 3 sailors in the Coral Sea

3 men rescued after sharks repeatedly attacked their inflatable boat

The sailors were rescued off the coast of Australia.

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"CPR was administered to the victim; however, she suffered serious injuries to the right side of her body, including the right hip region and also her right upper limb," a responding police officer told members of the media. 

When additional emergency medical crews arrived, they determined that the woman was showing no signs of life and pronounced her dead. 

While shark attacks are rare, this was the second fatal incident in about 48 hours. Mexican authorities said a 28-year-old mother died on Saturday after she was bitten in the leg while swimming in the Pacific Ocean just south of Puerto Vallarta. 

The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File says there are about 70-100 shark attacks worldwide every year, resulting in about five deaths. It adds that the most shark attacks occur near the shore, where sharks feed.