Home / Shark Attacks / 2019 Shark Attacks in 2019 In 2019, the Global Shark Attack File logged 114 shark attacks worldwide — 317.8% above the historical annual average. 8 were fatal (7.0%). United States accounted for the most incidents that year, with 59.
Fatality rate
7.0%
Global avg 21.2%
vs. annual avg
318% above
Hist. avg 27.3/yr
Countries with the most incidents in 2019 Species most often involved in 2019 Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.
Notable incidents in 2019 North West Island, Australia Non-fatal
2019-12-29 · Swimming · Shovelnose "shark" which is a ray, not a shark)
Amitié Beach, Seychelles Non-fatal
2019-12-27 · Swimming
Nahoon Beach, East London, South Africa Non-fatal
2019-12-25 · Surf skiing
Ragelapara reef, Papua New Guinea Fatal
2019-12-25 · Spearfishing
Oreti Beach, New Zealand Non-fatal
2019-12-23 · Boogie boarding
Santa Rosa Island, Ventura County, United States Non-fatal
2019-12-20 · Surfing
Shellharbour, Australia Non-fatal
2019-12-19 · Fishing · White shark
Reunion Non-fatal
2019-12-11 · Kayaking · 3.4 m tiger shark
Exmouth, Australia Non-fatal
2019-12-05 · Free diving
Guardalavaca Beach, Cuba Fatal
2019-12-03 · Swimming
Frequently Asked Questions How many shark attacks were there in 2019? ▾ The Global Shark Attack File records 114 shark attacks worldwide in 2019, with 8 fatalities.
What was the shark attack fatality rate in 2019? ▾ 7.0% of shark attacks recorded in 2019 were fatal.
Which countries had the most shark attacks in 2019? ▾ The countries with the most recorded incidents in 2019 were United States (59), Australia (22), South Africa (5).
Which shark species were most often involved in 2019 attacks? ▾ Based on incident records, the most frequently identified species in 2019 were Tiger Shark, White Shark, Blacktip Shark.
Shark Data Lab