Home / Shark Attacks / 1979 Shark Attacks in 1979 In 1979, the Global Shark Attack File logged 25 shark attacks worldwide — 8.4% below the historical annual average. 8 were fatal (32.0%). United States accounted for the most incidents that year, with 9.
Fatality rate
32.0%
Global avg 21.2%
vs. annual avg
8% below
Hist. avg 27.3/yr
Countries with the most incidents in 1979 Species most often involved in 1979 Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.
Notable incidents in 1979 Kenton-on-Sea, South Africa Non-fatal
1979-12-20 · Swimming
Sao Jorge, Madeira Island, Portugal Fatal
1979-12-04 · Spearfishing · White shark?
Incident 1979-11-30 Non-fatal
1979-11-30 · Diving · 6' shark
Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Clatsop County, United States Non-fatal
1979-11-26 · Surfing · White shark, 4 m [13']
Macassar, South Africa Non-fatal
1979-11-11 · Shark fishing · White shark, 5 m
Algoa Bay, South Africa Non-fatal
1979-10-21 · Fishing · Raggedtooth shark, 50-kg [110-lb], 2 m [6.75'] gaffed
Byron Bay, Australia Non-fatal
1979-09-13 · Scuba diving · "a small shark"
Mirs Bay, Hong Kong Fatal
1979-08-27 · Freedom swimming
Hong Kong Fatal
1979-08-25
Daytona Beach, Volusia County, United States Non-fatal
1979-08-04 · Kayaking
Frequently Asked Questions How many shark attacks were there in 1979? ▾ The Global Shark Attack File records 25 shark attacks worldwide in 1979, with 8 fatalities.
What was the shark attack fatality rate in 1979? ▾ 32.0% of shark attacks recorded in 1979 were fatal.
Which countries had the most shark attacks in 1979? ▾ The countries with the most recorded incidents in 1979 were United States (9), South Africa (7), New Caledonia (3).
Which shark species were most often involved in 1979 attacks? ▾ Based on incident records, the most frequently identified species in 1979 were White Shark, Spinner Shark.
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