CT Man Survives Shark Attack As Encounters Draw Attention

LYME, CT — Just as Shark Week has put the ocean's top predators back in the spotlight, two recent incidents have given Connecticut residents a real-life reminder that shark encounters, while rare, do happen.

A Niantic man is recovering after surviving a shark attack while snorkeling in the Bahamas, weeks after a fisherman caught and released a shark off the East Haven coast.

John Schweizer, 69, was snorkeling with his wife and two adult sons during an adventure cruise in the Bahamas on July 24. During the excursion, he was bitten in the leg by what was believed to be a Caribbean reef shark, according to CT Insider.

Schweizer said the seven-foot shark briefly pulled him underwater before he made it back to the boat.

A cruise ship doctor closed the injury with 24 stitches, and he received additional treatment at a Miami hospital.

The Bahamas attack came a few weeks after a local fisherman caught a five-foot shark off the East Haven coast before releasing it back into Long Island Sound.

Videos of the catch spread on social media and drew widespread attention, though marine experts say sharks are native to Long Island Sound and are most commonly seen during the warmer summer months.

But shark encounters are uncommon, and fatal attacks even rarer.

According to the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File, there were 65 unprovoked shark bites worldwide in 2025, nine of which were fatal. Last year was slightly above the five-year average with 61 unprovoked bites.