A BOY was mauled by a shark at a luxury Bahamas resort where tourists can come face-to-face with the beasts underwater.
The 10-year-old was attacked at the Atlantis “walk with sharks adventure” as witnesses said they saw a “pool of blood” in the water.
AlamyThe little boy was mauled by a shark at a luxury hotel shark experience (file image)[/caption]
PinterestTourists at the walk with sharks adventure experience[/caption]
AlamyAtlantis Resort Hotel in the Bahamas is an enormous attraction with casinos, hotels and waterparks[/caption]
Visitors can don wetsuits and diving gear to walk through the hotel’s shark exhibit, coming face to face with the dangerous beasts.
But on Monday a young boy’s leg was mauled during his visit, prompting cops to launch an investigation.
Witnesses described the terrifying attack, saying they saw the shark “honing in on him” before a “pool of blood” spilled into the water.
The screaming youngster was then rushed to hospital as other holidaymakers fled the tank immediately.
He is now in stable condition and was airlifted back to Maryland, US, after the incident, ABC reports.
And hotel guest Kim Darden told Eyewitness News Bahamas that the little boy’s mum was “running and screaming” after the attack as his dad carried him away from the tank.
She said they had wrapped a towel around his mauled leg “tourniquet-style”.
“Everyone was frantic trying to figure out what was going on… It was very chaotic right then.”
The Atlantis Resort is an enormous holidaymaker paradise with hotels, casinos and waterparks on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
The web page that describes their “walk with sharks adventure” has since disappeared and the exhibit has been temporarily closed.
But photos on the website show tourists in gear walking around surrounded by the animals.
The description reads: “Using state-of-the-art clear glass helmets, resort guests can walk on the bottom of the shark exhibit and find themselves nose-to-nose with the guardians of the lost world of Atlantis.
“No swimming experience necessary.”
Seven different species of shark are kept at the resort, including 7ft long blacktips and hammerheads that can reach 20ft.
Only one of the sharks kept at the Atlantis attractions are described as harmless to humans.
Royal Bahamas Police Force said: “A 10-year-old male child from Maryland, USA, was reportedly bitten by a shark shortly before 4pm on Monday.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the boy was bitten on the right leg by a shark while participating in an expedition in a shark tank at a local resort.
“He was transported to the hospital for medical attention and is currently in a stable condition.
“Investigations are ongoing into this incident”.
The company who runs the experience, Blue Adventures by Stuart Cove, said on Wednesday that they were “deeply saddened” by the attack.
Cove told ABC: “We have begun a thorough internal investigation and are fully cooperating with the authorities.
“Incidents like this involving interactions with marine life, even with the species of sharks included in this experience, are rare and never acceptable.”
Just weeks ago a surfer was mauled by a great white shark off the coast of South Australia.
The 64-year-old was attacked 200 metres away from the beach just one week after a teenager was killed in another shark attack.
Khai Cowley, 15, was mauled to death off the coast of another popular Australian beach only days before.
And another young swimmer’s body was pulled from the water near Australia’s Ethel Beach after a shark attack in December.
GettySeveral young people have died in recent Great White shark attacks in Australia (file image)[/caption]
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