Bull Shark Kills Pennsylvania Woman On Cruise

A cruise ship passenger from Pennsylvania was killed by a bull shark while snorkeling in the Bahamas.

Authorities said that the 58-year-old woman was snorkeling with her family near Green Cay, an islet off the coast of Nassau. She was taking part in a snorkeling excursion run by an independent company.

Royal Caribbean International said that the woman died after being taken to a local hospital. They also confirmed that she had been on a seven-night cruise aboard the Harmony of the Seas. That ship left Port Canaveral, Florida on Sunday.

"It’s unfortunate," police spokeswoman Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings told the Associated Press.

Skippings said that the woman's family worked with authorities to determine that the attack was likely carried out by a bull shark.

Armchair shark experts will recall that bull sharks are notoriously aggressive and found all over the world. That includes the United States' east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.

A bull shark is suspected of killing a Pennsylvania woman who was snorkeling in the Bahamas.

Bull Sharks Are Massive Creatures

The sharks are also notable for being able to live in both salt and freshwater. Bull Sharks have been found living in rivers, sometimes far inland.

And, bull sharks can reach 11 feet in length and tip the scales at nearly 700 pounds. This means, that if a bull shark even takes a test bite it can do a lot of damage.

Worldwide, there were 137 shark attacks last year, 73 of which were unprovoked. In the Bahamas, shark attacks are exceedingly rare as well. There have been 32 reported attacks there since 1749.

The Bahamas has a higher number of shark attacks than other parts of the Caribbean. However, experts chalk that up to more people being in the water,