Jakarta, ThedailyID — A snorkeling trip in the Bahamas turned into a terrifying experience for a 69-year-old American tourist. John Schweizer suffered injuries to his leg and hand after a shark attacked him in the water.
According to Travel + Leisure, Schweizer comes from Niantic, Connecticut, in the United States. The incident occurred on Friday, July 24, in waters near Bimini, Bahamas.
Schweizer was on vacation with his wife and two children. The family had planned the trip to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. During the holiday, he joined a guided snorkeling tour that allowed participants to swim alongside Caribbean reef sharks.
Before entering the water, the guide reportedly told participants that the sharks usually swam away when people approached. However, the situation changed shortly after Schweizer entered the sea.
His son, who remained on the boat, spotted a large shadow underwater. The animal was estimated to be between five and seven feet long, or approximately 1.5 to 2.1 meters.
Schweizer then felt a powerful impact and realized that a shark had bitten him. He described the attack as feeling like being struck by a large dog.
His wife initially thought he was joking. However, she quickly realized the seriousness of the situation after seeing his injuries and the blood.
His family and the boat crew immediately pulled him out of the water. They used towels and a tourniquet to control the bleeding before taking him to the cruise ship where he was staying.
An emergency room doctor aboard the ship spent around three hours cleaning and stitching his wounds. Schweizer received 26 stitches in his leg and another four in his hand. He was later transferred to a hospital in Miami for further treatment.
His condition gradually improved, allowing him to return home to Connecticut the following day. Upon his arrival, neighbors welcomed him in shark costumes to help lift his spirits.
Despite being an experienced fisherman who was familiar with sharks, Schweizer said he no longer wanted to swim alongside the predators after the incident.
Meanwhile, data from the International Shark Attack File at the Florida Museum of Natural History shows that unprovoked attacks by Caribbean reef sharks are extremely rare. Only four such incidents have been recorded since 1580, with none resulting in fatalities.
