Incident Report
Snorkeler Sustains Foot Laceration in Florida Keys Reef Encounter
A 20-year-old snorkeler was injured when a shark lacerated his foot while he was exploring a reef in the Florida Keys. The incident occurred in the afternoon of July 29, 1967, resulting in minor injuries to his foot.
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Incident Profile
Environmental
Individual
Location
Description
On July 29, 1967, a 20-year-old male snorkeler was exploring a reef in the Florida Keys when he encountered a shark. The incident occurred during an afternoon snorkeling session in the waters off Key Colony Beach in Monroe County, Florida. During the encounter, the shark inflicted lacerations to the victim's foot. The injuries sustained were classified as minor. This unprovoked encounter was documented in the Smithsonian Institution's Shark Attack File and represents one of many incidents recorded from Florida's coastal waters during this period. The species of shark involved in the incident was not identified in available records. The incident highlighted the inherent risks associated with reef exploration and snorkeling activities in subtropical Atlantic waters, where various shark species inhabit natural reef ecosystems.