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Shark Attacks in Spain

The Global Shark Attack File records 47 shark attacks in Spain between 1764 and 2025. Of those, 8 were fatal (17.0%). The species most often involved is the blue shark.

Last recorded shark attack in SpainJuly 22, 2025 · Playa de Palma beachView details →

Total recorded

47

Fatal

8

Fatality rate

17.0%

Global avg 21.2%

Years covered

1764–2025

Recorded incidents by year

Peak 5 (1862)Avg 1.4
1764: 11819: 11836: 11862: 51864: 11879: 11908: 21909: 11911: 11912: 11916: 11924: 11925: 11926: 11929: 11930: 11962: 11970: 11980: 11986: 21993: 12006: 12009: 12010: 12013: 12014: 42015: 22016: 22017: 42020: 12023: 12025: 1Average: 1.4 per year
176419622025
32 years of data, 1764–2025
Shark attacks in Spain per year, 1764–2025
YearAttacks
17641
18191
18361
18625
18641
18791
19082
19091
19111
19121
19161
19241
19251
19261
19291
19301
19621
19701
19801
19862
19931
20061
20091
20101
20131
20144
20152
20162
20174
20201
20231
20251

Species most often involved in Spain

Counts based on the species field in the Global Shark Attack File. Species identification in incident reports is not always reliable.

Activities most associated with incidents

  • Swimming16
  • Fishing5
  • Bathing4
  • Wading3
  • Skin diving2

Recent recorded incidents in Spain

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded in Spain?
The Global Shark Attack File records 47 shark attacks in Spain, of which 8 were fatal.
What is the shark attack fatality rate in Spain?
17.0% of recorded shark attacks in Spain are fatal, compared with a global average of 21.2%.
Which shark species are most often involved in attacks in Spain?
Based on incident records, the species most frequently identified in Spain attacks are Blue Shark, Angel Shark, White Shark.
What activities are most associated with shark attacks in Spain?
Swimming accounts for the largest share of recorded incidents in Spain, with 16 cases logged.
Where does this shark attack data come from?
All figures are derived from the Global Shark Attack File (GSAF), a non-profit database of shark-human incident records. Shark Data Lab cleans, geocodes, and aggregates the GSAF dataset for analysis.