The Worst Shark Attacks Ever Recorded

Are you interested in discovering the worst shark attacks on people ever recorded? Do you want to know more about these horrific stories? Then you should check out this article that covers the worst shark attacks in history. Sharks are one of the deadliest creatures in the ocean and are responsible for claiming around 40 lives a year. Only a couple of shark species are aggressive towards humans and attack as most sharks are harmless.

Sharks are at the top of the food chain when it comes to the ocean, and we are no match for these incredible sea creatures when they are hungry and ready to attack. If you have ever seen the film Jaws, you know that being trapped in the water with a giant shark isn't a good time, and the film created more fear among people who swim in the ocean, and for good reason. So if you are interested in discovering some crazy shark attacks, check out this article. 

Sharks have been attacking humans since people have been swimming in the water, but the first official shark attack recorded happened in 1749. The shark attack victim was a British merchant named Brook Watson, who ended up falling off the ship that he worked on and was bitten by a giant shark that ended up getting away with his foot. 

In 1916, Jersey Shore became the center of attention as sharks killed four people off the coast over a couple of days. This sent a shockwave through the community, and the whole country, as people were not used to dealing with deadly shark attacks. Three of the victims were in their mid-20s, while the last victim was just 12 years old. 

One of the worst shark attacks to take place in history was during World War II. In July 1945, the USS Indianapolis was struck by two Japanese torpedoes that ended up splitting the whole ship in half, which resulted in over 900 having to jump into shark-infested waters. Many of the men were trapped in the water as there weren't many survival boats for all the men to hop on. 

One of the most horrific shark attacks happened to a teenage boy named Rodney Fox. Fox was one of the leading spearfishing champions in 1953 and was just 14 years old. When a great white shark viciously attacked him, Fox was competing for the championship in Australia. The shark grabbed him while he was underwater and pulled him deeper; that is when Fox decided to gouge out its eyes which luckily made the shark release him. 

Over the span of 15 days, four people were attacked by sharks off the Pacific Coast in 1984. People saw several great white sharks during those two weeks, most likely the type of sharks responsible for the attacks. Everyone on the Pacific Coast was scared to even go into the water as the attacks were getting more prevalent. 

Another horrific shark attack story happened in 1985 when Shirley Ann Durdin was taking a dive to collect scallops off the coast of Australia's Peake Bay. Durdin was looking for scallops when she encountered a 20-foot-long great white shark that grabbed her and tore her in half upon the first bite. Sadly, Durdin's husband and four children saw the whole incident happen. 

Randall Fry and his buddy Cliff Zimmerman were diving along the coast of California in 2004 when the worst thing imaginable happened. The two were taking their usual dive when suddenly Zimmerman felt something huge pass by him in the water. He then realized that it was a massive great white shark and noticed that there was blood everywhere, and Fry was nowhere to be seen. 

In 2012, professional body-boarder David Lilienfeld was butchered by a great white shark off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. The 20-year-old Lilienfeld was going body boarding in the bay when a 16-foot-long great white shark attacked him. The massive shark attacked Lilienfeld three times before he hurried off, but the last bite was fatal as it ultimately bit off his right leg. 

In 1952, Barry Wilson and a group of friends were enjoying some swimming off the coast of California when disaster struck out of nowhere. Wilson, who was 17 at the time and a talented musician, ended up getting bitten by a great white shark right in front of his friends. The great white dragged Wilson several feet into the water before it let him go. 

Erich Ritter was one of the lucky ones regarding shark attacks. Ritter was known for his knowledge of sharks and has been featured in several television documentaries about sharks. In 2003, while Ritter was filming sharks for a show on Shark Week, he was attacked by a massive bull shark that took part of his calf. Ritter was able to get away safely and lived to tell the tale. 

Heather Boswell was another lucky shark attack victim as she survived, but of course, not without some severe injuries. In 1994, Boswell was swimming off the coast of Chile with her friends that had a boat. While Boswell was swimming, a massive great white shark came out of nowhere and latched on to her leg. 

In 2013, Jana Lutteropp was enjoying a nice three-week vacation on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii. The German tourist was taking in all the sights and decided to go snorkeling just off the coast of Palauea Beach. Sadly, this would be the last time that Lutteropp would do anything as she was attacked by an aggressive tiger shark that mauled off her right arm. 

In 2001, the Peltier family was enjoying the beach off the coast of Virginia when tragedy suddenly struck. Their amazing summer ended abruptly when a shark attacked their 10-year-old son David while he was playing with other children in the water. David was only standing in 4 feet of water when he was suddenly dragged underwater by a giant shark. 

In 2007, Todd Endris survived a devasting attack with some help from fellow sea mammals. Endris was surfing with his buddy off the coast of Monterey, California when a great white shark suddenly attacked him. The shark ended up ripping most of the skin off Endris's back and was making its way back to finish him off. 

In 2015, Mick Fanning, an Australian professional surfer, was competing in a surf competition when he was abruptly bitten by a great white shark while cresting a wave. Fortunately, Fanning was instructed on how to deal with a shark attack and put his surfboard in between him and the shark. This trick ended up saving his life, and he amazingly only got away with a couple of scratches. 

In 2015, Elio Canestri was killed by a great white shark off the coast of the Indian Ocean. The 13-year-old was a surfing champion that lived on Reunion Island with his family where he practiced daily to become a professional surfer. Elio was hanging out with friends in the water when he was attacked by a great white shark that bit his arm and part of his chest. 

Bethany Hamilton is another lucky survivor of a shark attack. Hamilton was only 13 years old when a tiger shark attacked her off the coast of Tunnels Beach. Hamilton was surfing with her best friend when suddenly a tiger shark bit her arm off. Hamilton stated that she didn't feel anything at first but realized what happened when she saw her arm dangling from her shoulder. 

In 1959, Robert Pamperin was part of a deadly shark attack that ended up spooking all the residents of San Diego from taking a swim in the ocean. Pamperin was snorkeling off the coast of San Diego's La Jolla Cove when he was abruptly attacked by a 20-foot-long great white shark that swallowed him up in a couple of bites. 

In 1992, Bryan Adona was bodyboarding off the coast of Waimea Bay in Hawaii when a giant tiger shark attacked. Several people spotted a massive tiger shark in the area where Adona was bodyboarding moments before the young man went missing. The only thing found was Adona's bodyboard which had several teeth marks and blood. 

In 1994, James Robinson was diving off the coast of San Miguel Island, California, looking for sea urchins, when a great white shark abruptly attacked him. The 42-year-old was an experienced diver who dove in that location multiple times and was looking in his usual spots for sea urchins when he suddenly spotted a massive shark near him. 

In 2003, Deborah Franzman was taking a swim off the coast of Avila Beach, California, when she encountered a deadly great white shark. People on the beach saw the incident occur; Deborah was swimming alone next to a pack of sea lions when suddenly all the sea lions disappeared, and a vast shark appeared next to her. 

Shark attacks happen worldwide, and the Mexican coast is a hotspot for great white sharks. In 2008, Osvaldo Valdovinos was surfing off the coast of Pantla Beach when a six-foot great white shark attacked him. Valdovinos had no time to react and was immediately bitten by the massive shark, who at first, bit at his leg and broke it, and then bit off the 21-year-old's hand. 

Damjan Pesek is one of the lucky ones to survive a shark attack. In 2008, Damjan, a Slovenian fisherman, was spearfishing off the coast of Croatia when a giant shark suddenly attacked him. Damjan was swimming back to his boat with what he caught attached to him when the shark appeared out of nowhere and took a bite at his waist. 

Doreen Collyer was someone that loved the ocean and taught at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. In 2016, Doreen went scuba diving off the coast of Perth when she was attacked and killed by a great white shark. The 60-year-old was an experienced diver that loved diving in open water and had never had an interaction with a shark before the incident. 

Hawaii can be a beautiful place to enjoy the ocean, but people need to know that you aren't at the top of the food chain when you are out in the water. In 2013, Patrick Briney was enjoying his vacation in Maui and decided to go kayak fishing off the coast. While Patrick was fishing, he was attacked by a giant bull shark that ended up biting off his foot. 

In 2005, Jamie Daigle and her best friend were enjoying their vacation in Destin, Florida, when disaster struck out of nowhere. The two young girls decided to go swimming about 200 yards off the coast when they suddenly saw a significant dark figure in the water approaching them. 

In 2015, Cristina Thies was out with her family enjoying their vacation on the Canary Islands when a giant silky shark attacked her. Cristina was swimming off the coast of Arinaga Beach, a popular spot for divers to swim, when a shark suddenly attacked her. The shark latched onto Cristina's hand but didn't manage to bite it off as Cristina was able to fight off the shark before help arrived. 

In 2001, Sergei Zaloukaev and Natalia Slobodskaya were attacked by a great white shark off the coast of Avon, North Carolina. The couple was taking a swim a couple of hundred yards off the beach when a massive great white shark suddenly attacked them. The two did their best to fight off the creature and made it to shore. 

In 2000, Thadeus Kubinski took his usual dive into the ocean when a giant bull shark attacked him. Kubinski was jumping from his home's dock in Boca Ciega Bay, Florida, which he did daily. Kubinski was only in 5 feet of water when the bull shark attacked him only a couple of seconds later. 

In 1992, another tragedy struck when a 12-foot tiger shark attacked Aaron Romento off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. Romento was bodyboarding about 100 yards off the beach when the massive shark attacked him. The tiger shark grabbed Romento by the leg and bit it three different times. Amazingly, Romento was able to get away from the enormous shark before it did more damage and made it back to the shore on his own. 

In 2000, Shannon Ainslie was attacked by two great white sharks while surfing when he was just 15 years old. Shannon was surfing off the coast of South Africa's Nahoon Reef when two massive great whites attacked him. Shannon was competing in a local surfing competition when he was suddenly knocked off his board by a great white that grabbed him by the hand and pulled him underwater. 

In 2019, Jonathan Hernandez was spearfishing with some friends off the coast of Abaco Island in the Bahamas when a giant shark attacked him. Hernandez at first thought that he got hit by the boat as the amount of force was tremendous, but when he looked over, he saw that it was a shark that had taken a bite at his leg. 

In 2015, Sam Kellet was out spearfishing with his friends off the coast of South Australia when he was attacked and killed by a massive great white shark that left nothing of him except his speargun. Sam's friends witnessed the tragic attack when they were underwater as they heard screams from Sam's direction and noticed a giant shark attacking him. 

In 1909, the tragic sinking of La Seyne resulted in one of the worst shark attacks in history. The La Seyne was a French vessel that transported passengers to different islands in Singapore and was involved in the collision of the Onda, a British merchant ship. The two massive ships collided on a dark night, resulting in 101 people dying from the sinking of the La Seyne. 

Another early shark attack is the attack on Joseph Blaney, the first reported death by a shark off the coast of Massesschustes. The attack occurred in 1830 when Joseph, an experienced fisherman, was fishing on a small fishing boat when a giant great white shark attacked him. A nearby fisherman saw Joseph waving for help and noticed that he was missing one of his arms. 

In 1849, Mrs. Cracton and Mr. Mansfield were killed by a shark off the coast of Pensacola. Mrs. Cracton was bathing in the water with her friend when she was suddenly attacked by a massive shark that grabbed her and dragged her underwater. The other woman frantically tried to help her friend but wasn't able to get to her. 

In 1899, the most unusual shark attack occurred when six Japanese fishermen were fishing for basking sharks off the coast of Monterey, California. The fishermen were able to hook one of these massive sharks and waited until the shark seemed exhausted to pull up to it. Once the fishermen were right next to the enormous shark, the shark struck out and destroyed one of the boats, killing two people in the process with its tail. 

In 2012, James Grant was enjoying some vacation time in New Zealand and went spearfishing with his friends off the coast of Colac Bay when a sevengill shark suddenly attacked him. Grant was in about 6 feet of murky water when he felt a tug on his leg and thought it was one of his friends playing a joke on him. But when he turned around, he saw a massive shark biting his leg. 

In 2011, Nicole Moore survived a tragic shark attack that almost took her life. When disaster struck, Nicole was vacationing in Cancun, Mexico; she was enjoying the warm water while her friends were resting on the shore and noticed that two men on jet skis were yelling at her in Spanish. 

In 2015, Dave Quinlivan was attacked by a massive great white shark off the coast of Australia when he was ski paddling. Dave noticed that a pack of dolphins was spooked but thought that it was just him, but boy was he wrong. Not long after, Dave saw the shape of a giant shark ahead of him and he knew it was a great white shark. 

In 2001, Krishna Thompson was enjoying his 10th anniversary with his wife in the Bahamas when tragedy struck. Krishna decided to go on an early morning swim by himself when he found himself face to face with a massive great white shark. The shark grabbed Krishna by the leg and dragged him deep underwater. The shark released Krishna, and he was able to escape and make it to shore. 

In 2012, Ian Redmond was on his honeymoon with his wife when he was killed by a giant shark just ten days after his wedding. Ian was snorkeling off the coast of Anse Lazio when a massive bull shark attacked him. The first bite was fatal, and his finance was utterly devastated and didn't think that there would be sharks so close to the beach. 

In 2012, a 28-year-old Hawaiian surfer named Joshua Holley was attacked by a tiger shark that almost claimed his life. Joshua was surfing at Ohau's North Shore when he was attacked by a massive tiger shark that grabbed onto his foot. Joshua had no time to think and started punching the shark in its face until it released him. 

In 1964, Henri Bource was attacked by a giant great white shark off the coast of Lady Julia Percy Island in Australia. Amazingly, Bource survived this tragic attack but lost his leg because of it. He was 29 years old when the great white shark came out of nowhere and latched onto his leg. 

In 2018, Arthur Medici was swimming off the coast of Newcomb Hollow Beach in Massachusetts when a great white shark suddenly attacked him. Arthur was enjoying the beach day and decided to take a swim, but he didn't know that this would be the last time he went for one as a great white shark fatally bit him. 

In 1999, Nahid Davoodabai and her husband were vacationing in Maui, Hawaii, and decided to go kayaking to take in the views. Little did they know that this would be the last time they were together as a tiger shark would soon kill one of them. Nahid was knocked out of her kayak and was struggling to get back on due to the choppy waters. 

In 1989, Tamara McAllister and Roy Jeffrey Stoddard were kayaking off the coast of Malibu, California, when they were both attacked and killed by a shark. The two set off kayaking one morning but never came back. A search party was conducted as they thought the two might have been lost, but two days later, they found their bodies with large chunks taken out of them. 

In 2010, Lucas Ransom was out with his friend Matthew Garcia body surfing off the coast of Los Angeles when tragedy struck. Garcia was only two feet away from his friend when a massive great white shark attacked him. Garcia saw that the shark grabbed Ransom's leg and dragged him underwater within seconds. 

In 1984, Omar Conger was out swimming with his friend when a great white shark fatally attacked him. The two friends had been swimming off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, for about 30 minutes before Omar was attacked. His friend witnessed the shark strike Omar two times before he could get away.