An American vacationer thought she was “going to die” after a shark attacked her and her pal as they went swimming in a terrifying incident throughout their Bahamas trip — and each don’t have any plans to return to the water anytime quickly.
Summer time Layman, 24, and 20-year-old Rileigh Decker have been paddling within the tropical waters of Bimini Bay Friday once they have been each bitten by what they imagine was a bull shark.
As they swam off the facet of their boat within the widespread resort space round 50 miles off the Florida coast, Decker felt one thing nudge towards her, she advised NBC’s “At the moment” on Tuesday.
The 2 ladies saved swimming earlier than Decker felt a “tug” on her leg, she mentioned.
“I knew proper then and there I used to be bit,” she advised “At the moment” from her hospital mattress in Florida.
A pal pulled the pair again onto the boat, the place they discovered each had been left savaged by the shark assault.
The group long-established a makeshift tourniquet for Decker out of a towel and twine, earlier than turning to Layman, whose foot had been “shredded,” she advised “At the moment.”
“It was very scary,” she advised the hosts by way of tears, including that the pair had “the worry of pondering you’re going to die within the second.”
The pair have been rushed to a hospital within the Bahamas, the place one of many ladies’s accidents have been listed as “severe,” in line with an announcement from the Royal Bahamas Police Power.
They have been later taken again to Florida the place Decker underwent two surgical procedures.
“Police in Bimini are investigating an alleged shark assault involving two feminine vacationers that occurred round 6:30 pm on Friday, seventh February 2025,” the assertion learn.
“Preliminary stories indicated that the victims, each USA residents, sustained accidents whereas swimming within the waters at Bimini Bay. They acquired preliminary therapy at an area clinic earlier than being airlifted to New Windfall for additional medical consideration,” the assertion continued.
“One of many sufferer’s accidents is listed as severe. Investigations are ongoing.”
Decker faces one other operation and advised NBC Information she’s going to “by no means” return within the ocean.
“I received’t even put my toes in once more,” she advised “At the moment.”
Layman mentioned on this system that she was “grateful” to have made it out alive and added that she wouldn’t return to the water for a “very long time.”
The Bahamas is within the Prime 10 shark assault hotspots on the earth, simply behind Mexico, in line with information from the Florida Museum.
Regardless of that, incidents similar to Friday’s are nonetheless mercifully uncommon within the island nation, with simply 34 unprovoked shark assaults recorded there since 1580, in line with the identical map.
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