Snorkeler Bitten by 9-Foot Dusky Shark at Bermuda Reef

On May 24, 1960, a 25-year-old male waiter was snorkeling along a barrier reef approximately 200 yards from Coral Beach in Paget, Bermuda, during a public holiday when conditions were clear and sunny. After cutting his foot on the reef while returning to shore in waist-deep water, he felt what he initially believed to be a friend's touch on his uncut foot. Upon turning, he identified a shark circling him approximately 90 degrees. The shark continued to circle him four or five times in a clockwise pattern as he moved toward shore, calling for help and maintaining visual contact with the animal. Four to five bystanders stationed on a coral rock protruding from the water approximately 10 feet from shore assisted him to safety. The victim sustained multiple bite wounds: his left foot bore a characteristic semi-circular pattern of tooth marks, his right forearm was bitten, and both hands—particularly their dorsal surfaces—sustained severe damage with several tendons in the right hand severed. He was transported by ambulance to King Edward Memorial Hospital where Dr. Brian Consul performed surgical repair of his injuries. The shark, later identified as a female dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus) measuring approximately 2.7 meters (9 feet), remained in the area. When she approached a small boat that was launched, she was gaffed, beached, and killed. Examination of the shark's digestive system revealed it was empty. The incident was documented by photographer Stan Waterman of the Shark Research Institute and reported in the Royal Gazette on May 25, 1960. Species identification was confirmed by S. Springer based on recovered tooth specimens.