Spain is a popular destination for tourists seeking to enjoy its beaches and waters. However, it’s important to remember that there are still dangers present in these locations – such as the risk of shark attacks. On this page, we keep you up-to-date with current information about shark attacks in Spain each week. We provide detailed overviews of where shark attacks have occurred and offer safety advice for individuals entering the waters. Keeping well informed is essential to staying safe when visiting Spanish beaches.
Recent Shark Attacks in Spain
| Date / Time | Country / Area | Activity | Name | Sex / Age | Injury | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08-16-2023 Afternoon | SPAIN ,Valencia | Wading | male | M | Minor lacerations to right foot | Blue shark |
| 05-26-2020 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Playing | male | M /9 | Lacerations to both feet | Angel shark |
| 09-16-2017 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Body surfing | male | M /13 | Lacerations to right foot | Porbeagle, 1.5 m |
| 08-26-2017 Midday | SPAIN ,Castellón | Swimming | female | F /11 | Lacerations to left foot | Shark involvement questionable |
| 07-23-2017 Afternoon | SPAIN ,Majorca | Swimming | female | F | Abrasion to arm from shark's rough skin | Blue shark 6' |
| 06-17-2017 12h00 | SPAIN ,Ibiza Island | Swimming | male | M /82 | 2-inch laceration to hand | |
| 07-29-2016 11h30 | SPAIN ,Alicante Province | Swimming | male | M /40 | Lacerations to right hand | Blue shark |
| 07-08-2016 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Wading | female | F /10 | 5 tiny puncture marks to lower leg, treated with hydrogen peroxide | Angel shark |
| 12-25-2015 | SPAIN ,Grand Canary Island | Swimming | Cristina Ojeda-Thies | F /38 | Lacerations to left forearm | Silky shark, 6.5' |
| 08-18-2015 11h00 | SPAIN ,Alicante | Swimming | male | M /10 | Minor injury when he attempted to touch a fish. | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 12-03-2014 07h00 | SPAIN ,Granada | Fishing for blue sharks | male | M | Glancing bite to wrist from netted shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | |
| 09-01-2014 | SPAIN ,Catalonia | Playing with an air mattress | male | M /16 | Lacerations to right hand | |
| 08-27-2014 | SPAIN ,Alicante | Swimming | Raquel Martin | F /30 | Minor lacerations to posterior lower leg | small shark |
| 07-20-2014 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Wading | child | Minor injury | Angel shark | |
| 07-07-2013 | SPAIN ,Catalonia | Swimming | Thierry Frennet | M /48 | Scrape to right forearm. Frennet says inflicted by a blue shark, but authorities question shark involvement | Shark involvement not confirmed |
| 07-16-2010 19h15 | SPAIN ,Grand Canary Island | Swimming | male | M /9 | Lacerations to left foot when he stepped on the shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | Angel shark |
| 07-24-2009 10h15 | SPAIN ,Catalunya | Swimming | F /11 | Laceration to left foot | Shark involvement questionable | |
| 07-13-2006 | SPAIN ,Alicante | Swimming | female | F /7 | Hand & wrist severely bitten | Shark involvement not confirmed, injury may have been caused by a bluefish |
| 09-03-1993 08h00 | SPAIN ,Costa Blanca | Swimming | Jorge Durich Heredia (or Hernandez) | M /69 | Thigh bitten, toes of left foot severed | 1.2 m [4'] shark |
| 04-01-1986 | SPAIN ,Catalonia | Diving | M | Abrasions | 2 m shark | |
| 03-18-1986 10h55 | SPAIN ,Cádiz | Windsurfing | J. L Pérez-Díaz | M | Foot severed | 3.5 m white shark |
| 07-26-1980 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Skin diving | Fuentes Gonzalez Escualo | M | Thigh injured | Blue shark |
| 01-01-1962 | SPAIN ,Catalonia | Dangling feet in the water | female | F | Feet severed | |
| 08-16-1930 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Swimming | Cecil Bethencourt | M /38 | Leg bitten | |
| 10-02-1929 | SPAIN ,Valencia | Fishing | Vicente Bonet | M | Arm injured when sharks rammed his boat | |
| 07-03-1926 | SPAIN ,Sants-Montjic | Bathing | Sebastian Llopis Puges | M | No injury | Questionable, 2m shark suspected |
| 09-04-1925 | SPAIN ,Valencia | Fishing | Pascual Gurran | M | Right hand bitten by hooked shark PROVOKED INCIDENT | |
| 03-24-1924 | SPAIN ,Galica | Fishing | Boat owned by Ricardo Laneiro | No injury to occupants, shark bit boat | 3.5 m shark | |
| 07-08-1916 | SPAIN ,Gran Canaria | Diving | male | M | Survived | |
| 01-01-1912 | SPAIN ,Balearics | Fell into the water | the governor of Cabrera | M | FATAL | White shark |
| 07-31-1911 | SPAIN ,Málaga | Bathing | a soldier | M | FATAL | |
| 04-27-1909 | SPAIN ,Andalucia | Fishing | male | M | Shark knocked him down after he grabbed it by the tail. No injury. PROVOKED INCIDENT | |
| 08-28-1908 | SPAIN ,Galicia | Fell overboard from P&O steamship Arabia | William Newbury | M | FATAL | |
| 07-18-1908 | SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Human remains recovered but shark involvement prior to death unconfirmed | Questionable | |||
| 09-22-1879 | SPAIN ,Valencia | Fishing | No injuries to occupants, Hooked shark bit boat PROVOKED INCIDENT | 2.5 m shark | ||
| 07-25-1864 Evening | SPAIN ,Eastern Catalona | Bathing | male | M | FATAL | |
| 08-15-1862 | SPAIN | Bathing | The widowed Marchioness of Lendinez | F | Survived | |
| 08-02-1862 | SPAIN ,Malaga | male | M | Possible drowning and scavenging | Shark involvement prior to death unconfirmed | |
| 07-25-1862 | SPAIN ,Malaga | Swimming | Joaquin Rosales Martinez | M /18 | FATAL | |
| 07-14-1862 | SPAIN ,Cádiz | male | M /18 | FATAL | 16' shark | |
| 07-13-1862 18h30 | SPAIN ,Cádiz | Swimming alongside the SS Kearsarge | Tibbetts | M | FATAL | 16' shark |
| 01-01-1836 | SPAIN | Shark caught, contained human remains | Shark involvement prior to death unconfirmed | |||
| 07-08-1819 | SPAIN | male | M | No injury / No attack | Invalid | |
| 01-01-1764 | SPAIN | Swimming | male | M | FATAL | |
| SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Spearfishing | M | Minor injury | Blue shark | ||
| SPAIN ,Canary Islands | Skin diving | Injury required 16 stitches |
Does Spain have measures in place to prevent shark attacks?
Yes, Spain does have measures in place to prevent shark attacks. The country prioritizes public awareness about shark behavior and safety measures, aiming to prevent such incidents. Spain’s strategies include education campaigns and providing guidelines for safer encounters with sharks.
What advice is given to local fishermen in Spain for dealing with sharks?
In Spain, local fishermen are advised to steer clear of direct contact with sharks and to avoid disturbing them. These measures ensure their safety as well as the preservation of marine life in Spanish waters.
Are there resources available on shark attacks in Spain?
Yes, there are resources available on shark attacks in Spain. These resources, which include local news outlets and marine wildlife documentaries, provide valuable insights into the country’s marine life, including information about shark encounters.
