New footage has emerged showing the moments after a 10-year-old boy had his leg bitten by a shark while swimming in a shark tank at a Bahamas resort.
The video shows the aftermath of the incident that happened while the youngster was participating at an event at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort on January 15.
Worried onlookers can be heard discussing what happened inside the tank as the water in the turn starts to turn red due to the blood.
As the boy attempts to make his way to safety, sharks can be seen circling the tank in a frenzy.
Blue Adventures by Stuart Cove, the group which runs the shark diving program for the resort said that the guest was in the water with a ‘dive instructor and dive guide’.
The boy was immediately taken to a hospital and was in serious but stable condition. He was airlifted from the hospital to Maryland for continued care on January 17.
A source told TMZ that the boy climbed into the tank with a chaperone as part of the shark experience at the hotel.
The boy made his way to the floor of the tank with the chaperone while also wearing a large white helmet and a heavy oxygen tank.
Two reef sharks started aggressively swimming around around him, before one of them darted through his legs.
The outlet reported that this caused the young boy to lose his footing and straddle the shark, which retaliated by sinking its teeth into his leg.
Other footage also emerged showing staff and a woman standing at one corner of the tank while a man is heard yelling when the incident happened.
The boy is then seen being picked up by the staff out of the water while the woman shooting the video is heard saying: ‘He got bit, he got bit by a shark, Mom’.
A woman is also heard hysterically crying and wailing in the background while another man requests for help.
In a statement, the organizers said: ‘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.’
Their statement continued: ‘The experience will remain closed during the company’s investigation ‘and as we review the findings.’
The ‘thrilling’ expedition is part of the Mayan temple area of the resort’s Aquaventure Zone.
Guests are made to wear special helmets to breathe underwater so they can get close and personal with nurse and reef sharks.
The resort’s website informed guests that they needed no swimming experience to participate and had to be at least 10-years-old, according to People.
The shark tank expedition page is no longer available on the website.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
