Fisherman Pulled Overboard by Tuna, Killed by Shark

An unusual chain of circumstances in which the victim was first pulled overboard by a hooked tuna and then fatally taken by a shark — a rare sequential incident documented in both the New York Times (1938) and Coppleson's authoritative survey, giving it strong archival value.

On May 25, 1938, a tragic incident unfolded off the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica when a male fisherman named Laureano Villareal encountered circumstances that would prove fatal. Villareal was aboard the tuna fishing vessel Bijo when he hooked an exceptionally large tuna. The powerful fish pulled him overboard into the Pacific Ocean. Despite being described as a strong swimmer, Villareal managed to stay afloat as the boat maneuvered to retrieve him. However, as the rescue vessel drew near, he suddenly cried out and submerged beneath the surface. The crew was unable to locate him despite conducting an extensive search over several hours. Based on the circumstances and the location, authorities concluded that Villareal had been attacked and killed by a shark. The incident aligns with documented shark behavior in the region, as sharks are known to follow schools of tuna in pursuit of prey. The specific species involved was not identified. This case, documented by the Global Shark Accident File and reported by The New York Times on May 26, 1938, represents a rare instance where a fishing accident and shark encounter combined fatally. It underscores the inherent dangers of commercial fishing in open ocean waters where multiple apex predators compete for the same food sources.