Majorca Beach evacuated after elderly swimmer attacked by savage fish
A popular beach on the Spanish island of Majorca was evacuated after an 85-year-old Italian tourist was attacked by a fish, leaving her with a severe wound on her left calf.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday at Palma’s Balneario 6 beach. The woman rushed out of the water with a bloody gash, prompting immediate response from two ambulances. She was treated on-site before being transported to a private clinic with significant skin loss but no muscle damage, according to police reports, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Lifeguards quickly evacuated the beach and conducted a thorough search by boat for the animal responsible, supported by local environmental officials. After about an hour, the green flag was restored and swimming resumed.
Initial speculation pointed to a shark attack; however, experts later suggested a bluefish, based on the bite’s lack of teeth marks. Marine biodiversity expert Aniol Esteban said the bluefish—a large, predatory fish common in the Mediterranean during warmer months—could be responsible. While bluefish do not typically attack humans, they may become aggressive when feeding or threatened.
Alternatively, a triggerfish, known for its aggressive bite and increasing presence around Balearic shores, could have caused the injury.
Environmental changes and rising water temperatures are believed to be pushing certain marine species closer to shorelines, increasing encounters with swimmers.
This attack follows a fatal shark incident off Israel’s Mediterranean coast earlier this year, where a man in his 40s was killed.
Despite occasional high-profile cases, shark attacks worldwide have decreased. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File reported only 47 unprovoked shark attacks in 2024, down 22 from 2023 and well below the 10-year average of 67.
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