A family snorkeling trip off the Florida Keys turned into a nightmare on Monday when an eight-year-old boy was mauled by a shark, leaving him in critical condition and fighting for his life.
The attack happened just before 3:30 p.m. near Horseshoe Reef in Key Largo, where the child was swimming with his father and sister.
According to reports, the shark struck suddenly, biting the boy above the knee and causing severe blood loss. A nearby scuba crew boat rushed to help, guiding the family back to Garden Cove Marina. By then, the boy was described as pale and slipping into shock. First responders applied two tourniquets and heavy bandaging in an effort to stem the bleeding.
“He’s been applied two tourniquets… we’re in the process of getting some vital signs,” a medic relayed over dispatch. The boy was quickly airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, where he underwent emergency surgery. As of Tuesday morning, his condition remained unclear, though officials have confirmed it is critical.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office notified the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which will investigate the incident.
Shark encounters are not uncommon in Florida, which consistently leads both the U.S. and the world in the number of unprovoked bites. In 2024, Florida recorded 14 shark attacks — representing half of all U.S. cases and nearly a third of the global total. The state also dominates the list of U.S. beaches with the most shark incidents.
New Smyrna Beach alone has reported a staggering 277 attacks since records began in 1642, more than anywhere else in the country. Neighboring Daytona Beach, Cocoa Beach, and Palm Beach also rank near the top, underscoring what experts call the state’s “concentration of shark activity.”
Ryan Blundell, founder of Tideschart, told WTVJ that the risks remain poorly understood by many visitors. “The concentration of shark attacks along Florida’s coastline is striking. Many people are unaware that certain beaches pose significantly higher risks than others when it comes to shark activity.”
For the boy’s family, the numbers are no comfort. What began as a sunlit adventure in the turquoise waters of the Keys ended with flashing helicopter blades and frantic surgery in Miami. Whether the child pulls through now depends on the strength of his body, the skill of his doctors, and a measure of luck that had abandoned him in the sea.
