Home / Shark Attacks / 1954 Shark Attacks in 1954 In 1954, the Global Shark Attack File logged 45 shark attacks worldwide — 64.9% above the historical annual average. 15 were fatal (33.3%). United States accounted for the most incidents that year, with 10.
Fatality rate
33.3%
Global avg 21.2%
vs. annual avg
65% above
Hist. avg 27.3/yr
Countries with the most incidents in 1954 Species most often involved in 1954 Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.
Notable incidents in 1954 Near tuna cannery in Pago Pago Harbor, American Samoa Fatal
1954-12-28 · Dived overboard & was swimming near stern of trawler
Point Lonsdale, Australia Fatal
1954-12-10 · Swimming
Kila Beach, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea Fatal
1954-12-08 · Swimming near canoe
Rocket Hut Beach, Durban, South Africa Non-fatal
1954-12-03 · Swimming · Reported as a shark bite but toothmarks appear to be those of a dolphin
Wilkes Islet Lagoon (Pacific Ocean north of the Marshall Islands), United States Non-fatal
1954-11-19 · Spearfishing · Blacktip reef shark, 1.5 m [5']
150 miles off Cape Henry, United States Fatal
1954-10-06 · American freighter Mormackite, bound from Buenos Aires for Baltimore, capsized & sank in heavy seas
Off Fleetwood, United Kingdom Non-fatal
1954-10-05 · Fishing (trawling) · 20' shark
Oomura Bay, Japan Non-fatal
1954-10-01 · Shark involvement prior to death was not confirmed
Lika-Senj, Pag Island, Croatia Non-fatal
1954-10-01 · Boating · White shark, 5.5 m [18']
La Jolla, San Diego County, United States Non-fatal
1954-09-20 · Swimming · 1.5 m [5'] shark
Frequently Asked Questions How many shark attacks were there in 1954? ▾ The Global Shark Attack File records 45 shark attacks worldwide in 1954, with 15 fatalities.
What was the shark attack fatality rate in 1954? ▾ 33.3% of shark attacks recorded in 1954 were fatal.
Which countries had the most shark attacks in 1954? ▾ The countries with the most recorded incidents in 1954 were United States (10), Australia (6), Papua New Guinea (5).
Which shark species were most often involved in 1954 attacks? ▾ Based on incident records, the most frequently identified species in 1954 were Nurse Shark, Bull Shark, White Shark.
Shark Data Lab