Cuba, with its pristine beaches and thriving marine life, has always been a magnet for tourists seeking the quintessential Caribbean experience. However, recent incidents related to shark attacks have raised concerns among both locals and travelers. While these encounters remain rare, it’s essential to be informed. Our page provides the latest details of shark attacks in Cuba, updated weekly, on these events to ensure both safety and awareness. As we navigate the delicate balance between human interaction and preserving our ocean’s wonders, it becomes crucial to understand and respect the deep blue and its inhabitants.
Recent Shark Attacks in Cuba
| Date / Time | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11-04-2017 23h30 | CUBA ,Holquin Province | Night bathing | Jesús Cabrera González | M /22 | FATAL | Tiger shark |
| 01-25-2009 10h30 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | Spearfishing | John Emory | M /15 | Severe lacerations to lower left leg | Bull shark |
| 01-01-2009 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | Spearfishing | John | Lacerations to right calf | Bull shark | |
| 01-20-2005 | CUBA ,Santiago de Cuba Province | Swimming | Hurdenis Jérez | M /19 | Left foot severed | 3 m [10'] shark |
| 10-31-2004 14h00 | CUBA ,Camaguey Province | Diving | male | M /40 | Left forearm bitten | 2.5 m [8.25'] bull shark |
| 01-24-2001 | CUBA ,Holquin Province | Swimming | Mrs. Soile Hamalainen | F /55 | Left arm bitten | 2 m [6.75'] shark |
| 06-21-1957 | CUBA ,Yucatan Channel | M.V. Tropical sank. Sole survivor rode oil drums for 8 days without food or water. | No injury, no attack, sharks in vicinity when the sea was calm | Invalid | ||
| 01-01-1957 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Fishing | boat, occupant: Portuondo | No injury to occupant, shark stuck boat | 3.7 m [12'] shark | |
| 01-01-1957 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Fishing for sharks | William Bolster | M /18 | FATAL, became entangled in fishing line and pulled below the surface | |
| 01-01-1957 | CUBA ,Havana Province | an infant | /2 | FATAL, but was it an accident or infanticide? | 3.7 m [12'] shark | |
| 05-07-1956 | CUBA | Free diving, working on U/W scenes for motion picture | Russ Shearman | M /30 | FATAL | |
| 01-01-1955 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Fishing | Romilio | M | Forearm slashed wrist to elbow by hooked shark he was trying to club to death PROVOKED INCIDENT | a little shark |
| 08-12-1954 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | Spearfishing | Dr. D.H. Teas | M | Knee bitten by shark that his dive buddy had shot PROVOKED INCIDENT | Nurse shark, 58, 34-lb |
| 08-12-1954 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | Spearfishing | Dr. H. Warmke | M | Right thigh & left calf injured by speared shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Nurse shark, 58, 34-lb |
| 07-15-1950 18h15 to 21h30 | CUBA ,Caribbean Sea | Swept off deck of S.S.Frontenac enroute from West Indies to US | Johan Loekstad, a Norwegian seaman | M /30 | Found at 21h30 by searchlight. Had been constantly harassed by sharks & had numerous lacerations | |
| 12-14-1948 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | 2 messboys (Jeppsen) & Tony Latona (13) were playing on the afterdeck of the Danish ship Grete Maersk. Jeppsen fell overboard, Latona threw a lifebelt then jumped in to help him. Ship didn’t notice they were missing | Bret Jeppsen | M /14 | 2 hours later shark bit Jeppsen’s feet, arm, knee & finally killed him. Tony, clothing torn but alive, washed ashore on Cuban coast | |
| 01-01-1945 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Playing on rock, slipped & fell into the water | boy | M | FATAL | |
| 03-08-1942 Ship aban-doned at 03h10 | CUBA ,Guantanamo Province | Esso Bolivar was torpedoed & shelled by the German submarine U-126 | A wounded member of Naval guncrew being towed by Charles Anderson toward a lifeboat & injured crew being towed by watertender Arthur Lauman | M | Of her crew of 50, eight perished, including the two injured men | |
| 05-03-1933 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming to shore from capsized sailboat | Majin Alvarez Piedra | M | FATAL | |
| 11-08-1932 | CUBA | Hurricane & Tidal Wave | ||||
| 08-31-1931 FATAL (Wire netting installed at local beaches after this incident.) | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming | Manuel Romero | M /18 | FATAL (Wire netting installed at local beaches after this incident.) | |
| 08-25-1931 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming a quarter mile offshore | Pablo Medina | M /23 | FATAL, right leg bitten | |
| 08-23-1931 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming | Laureano Rodriguez | M | FATAL, rescuers saw shark trying to drag him under by the leg | |
| 07-19-1930 Evening | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming | Emilio Grenet | M /29 | Right arm & leg bitten, arm & leg surgically amputated | |
| 11-21-1929 | CUBA ,Cienfuegos Province | Fishing | Gamatano Yugoago | M | Shark attacked his boat, threatening to capsize it. He jumped overboard & shark bit his arm. He knifed & killed shark. Later his arm was surgically amputated | |
| 01-14-1923 | CUBA ,Caribbean Sea | seaplane Columbus ditched in the sea | Edwin F. Atkins, Jr. | M | Although this incident is listed elsewhere as a shark attack, the account of the disaster suggests the 4 who perished probably drowned. Five people survived | Atkins' remains were recovered from a dusky shark, C. obscurus, by Capt. W. F. Young, shark fisherman |
| 07-21-1921 | CUBA | Fell overboard | Robert Ellis | M | FATAL | |
| 12-26-1913 | CUBA | Gottlieb Schwertz | M | FATAL | ||
| 09-01-1904 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Lost his footing & fell overboard | Sailor from ship Mobile | M | FATAL, left leg severed below knee, right leg severed above knee by a second shark | |
| 08-01-1904 | CUBA ,Villa Clara Province | Ship's boat capsized in squall, captain & 2 sailors clinging onto hull | 2 sailors | M | FATAL, shark pulled them off hull of boat | |
| 10-04-1903 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Fell overboard | a sailor | M | FATAL | |
| 07-01-1898 | CUBA ,Santiago de Cuba Province | Swimming | male | M | FATAL | |
| 01-01-1898 | CUBA ,Camaguey Province | Attempting to escape by swimming to shore | 5 American soldiers, prisoners | M | FATAL, 4 were killed by sharks, 1 survived | |
| 09-18-1895 Night | CUBA ,Havana Province | Shipwreck | male | M | Probable drowning & scavenging | Questionable |
| 05-17-1893 16h00 | CUBA ,Havana Province | His balloon crashed in the harbor | Ramon Margulies, aeronaut | M | FATAL | |
| 06-20-1892 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Riding a horse | a mestizo | M | FATAL | |
| 06-26-1867 | CUBA ,Villa Clara Province | boat from ship Josephine capsized in squall | 2 crew clinging to floating barrels | M | FATAL | |
| 01-01-1867 | CUBA ,Matanzas Province (north coast) | Painting a ship | male | M | FATAL, pulled off float by shark, body not recovered | |
| 09-25-1861 | CUBA | Deserting the bark Nazarene | Caughlin (A.K.A. James Dilano) | M | Lacerations | |
| 08-20-1846 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Bathing | male | M | Leg severed | |
| 04-14-1839 | CUBA ,Matanzas Province (north coast) | Sitting on gunwale of boat | sailor | M | FATAL | a large shark |
| 08-28-1826 | CUBA | HBM Magpie foundered in a squall | Lieutenant Edward Smith | M | FATAL | |
| 01-01-1749 | CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming | Brook Watson | M /14 | Right leg severed at knee. In 1796 he became Lord Mayor of London. In 1778 he commissioned American artist, John Singleton Copley, to paint the incident: Watson and the Shark | |
| CUBA ,Havana Province | Shark fishing, knocked overboard | Sandrillio | M /50 | FATAL, hip bitten PROVOKED INCIDENT | ||
| CUBA ,Havana Province | Swimming / escaping imprisonment | Franz Mayer | M /27 | Legs severed bitten, later surgically amputated | ||
| CUBA ,Santiago de Cuba Province | 13 men in the water after sailboat capsized & sank | seamen | M | FATAL, 7 survived but 6 were taken by sharks |
Has Cuba implemented any shark nets or barriers to protect swimmers?
No, Cuba has not implemented any shark nets or barriers to protect swimmers. Instead, the country relies on the rarity of shark encounters and promotes safe swimming practices to ensure the safety of both locals and tourists.
Does Cuba have measures in place to protect swimmers and divers from potential shark encounters?
Yes, many popular beaches in Cuba have monitoring systems, such as lifeguards or observation towers, to ensure swimmer safety. Additionally, some areas may have informational signs providing guidelines on safe water activities and tips on how to avoid unwanted shark interactions.
Where are the most sharks in Cuba?
In Cuba, one of the prime locations for shark sightings is Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen), a marine protected area to the south. This region is renowned for its healthy shark population and diverse marine life. Divers and marine enthusiasts often frequent this area specifically for its abundant shark encounters.
