Discover 9 Most Terrifying Shark Attacks in Florida

Shark attacks are scary. Although rare, Nobody wants to catch themselves in the water with an angry or confused shark. While most shark attack victims leave with their lives, some aren’t as lucky. Florida is the shark capital of the world. Each year, the state has anywhere from 10 to 30 shark incidents. Still, your chances of coming head-to-head with an aggressive shark are low. Although uncommon, chilling attacks happen. Listed below are the nine most terrifying shark attacks in Florida.

Belton Larkin

The first terrifying Florida shark attack on our list happened over 100 years ago. Belton Larkin was fishing with a net in the Gulf of Mexico off Garden Key, Pine Island Sound, when a shark bit him. The shark was pursuing a tarpon that fell across the boat, causing it to break into two. Belton and another fisherman were entangled in the net. The shark quickly took a bite out of the side of Belton, splitting him nearly in half. The worst part was that the other fisherman had to watch! This sporadic attack is likely because the shark confused Belton for the tarpon. The shark species was never confirmed.

J.L. Hanscom

The next shark attack involved J.L. Hanscom and an unidentified shark species. October 11, 1916, J.L. Hanscom was fishing at Sewells Point in the morning when he attempted to catch a live shark in his net. The shark bit his right leg. Although Hanscom was rushed to Fort Pierce, he passed away after surgical amputation of his leg.

William Sinker

William Sinker also had a nasty run-in with a shark in Florida. According to an old article in the Washington Post, on July 18, 1917, Sinker was diving in Key West when he was devoured by sharks before hundreds of spectators. Not many details are recorded from this chilling experience. It isn’t just terrifying to imagine and wonder about the unknown.

Christy Wapniarski

Christy Wapniarski’s life ended tragically due to a fresh shark attack. On August 10, 1981, Christy Wapniarski and three friends went out on the water in a catamaran. The hull was leaking, so the group returned to shore and patched it up. However, it started leaking again in the water. The four friends remained on the boat through a storm with no life vests until dawn. In the morning, they were around 6 to 9 miles offshore. They decided to swim for the shore, but Christy wasn’t a strong swimmer. Randall Cohen tried to carry her while swimming but was growing tired. At one point, Christy started panicking and thrashing around. This may have caught a shark’s attention as she bobbed up and down in the water, screaming about a shark. The friends noticed a tinge of color in the water.

Cohen noticed Christy’s injuries and couldn’t find her leg. The friends tried their best to carry Christy to shore but fought exhaustion. Sadly, she passed away while still in the water and was left behind. Cohen struggled with this decision, scared to abandon her. Eight hours later, the three remaining friends made it to shore and got help. Although the Coast Guard conducted a massive air search, they never recovered her body.

Christy Wapniarsk was a 19-year-old student at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona. She was described as a brilliant and kind girl. Randy Cohen remembered her fondly, stating, “She had sunshine all around her. Nobody who met her disliked her. “.

William J. Dandridge

One of the most terrifying shark attacks in Florida involves William J. Dandridge. William was spearfishing and scuba diving near Fowey Rock Light, Miami. Dandridge was 23 years old. On the day of the incident, he wore dark blue swim trunks with light blue pinstripes and blue swim fins.

On June 21, 1961, William went diving with Mr. and Mrs. James Quillian. Mrs. Quillian stayed in the boat. After ten minutes of diving, though, William came up, screaming and yelling for help. He was thrashing around. They went to help him, but it was too late. Mr. Quillian could not find William in the water. The couple immediately reported the incident to the Miami Metro Police, and a search was underway. The next day, Don McGee, president of the Miami Morays Diving Club, took 23 club members to the reef. They found William’s body surrounded by coral. He was missing his entire left flank from waist to neck and had a severed arm.

John P. Martin

John P. Martin also suffered from an awful shark attack. On September 13, 1988, at Shell Island, John was snorkeling in murky water. The depth of the water was about 8 feet. A bull shark bit his right leg and thigh, dragging him underneath. According to reports, the shark pulled him three times below the surface. On the same day, about 30 minutes after the attack, Dennis and Ann Hadden snorkeled nearby. He felt something touch his and noted it was a shark. The shark bit Ann Hadden’s forearm. It may have been the same bull shark.

Thadeus Kubinski

Thadeus Kubinski was also attacked by a shark in Florida. On August 30, 2000, he was swimming in an inlet off Boca Ciega Bay. The water was murky. Before getting into the water, Thadeus and his wife Anna saw splashing in the water. They thought nothing of it, though. Thadeus jumped into the water while Anna calmly walked down the ladder at the end of their dock. Only seconds later, Anna could hear thrashing and yelling from her husband. She immediately went to get help, but by the time help arrived, he was dead. 

Thadeus Kubinski was a strong swimmer. The splashing from his dive into the water likely triggered the shark’s attack. Experts believe that the commotion the couple heard before entering the water was the shark feeding on a school of fish, as they are abundant in the inlet. Although Anna saw a fin, the exact shark species is unknown. However, tooth impressions lead experts to believe it was a bull shark, maybe nine feet long.

Jamie Marie Daigle

The next shark attack on our list of the most terrifying shark attacks in Florida isn’t just scary but also heartbreaking. Jamie Marie Daigle was boogie boarding at Miramar Beach. She was 14 years old and visiting from Gonzales, Louisiana.

On June 25, 2005, Jamie Marie Daigle was boarding with her friend Felicia Venable beyond the sandbar when the two girls saw a black shadow in the water. This shadow was a feeding shark. Felicia watched, shocked, as her friend Jamie was being dragged underwater. Felicia started swimming towards the beach, screaming for help, which caught the attention of 54-year-old Tim Dicus. He went to help but was nearly attacked by the shark. He punched the shark and hauled Jamie on his surfboard. With the help of about two other swimmers, he got her back to shore as the shark continued to follow. Sadly, she was pronounced dead at the Sacred Heart Hospital in South Walton. The shark was an 8-foot-long bull shark.

Stephen Howard Schafer

Last but not least is a shark attack involving Stephen Howard Schafer. This was the most recent fatal shark in the state. Stephen Howard Schafer was kite surfing in Martin County on February 3, 2010. The sea was rough that day, with intense waves four to six feet high.

No one saw what happened to Stephen. However, lifeguard Daniel Lund spotted him lying on his sail, suspiciously still. Daniel paddled to him, and as he got closer, he noticed blood in the water and several sharks. Paramedics, rescue workers, and hospital staff attempted to resuscitate him, but he had lost too much blood. There were two large bites, leading to the loss of 2.5 liters of blood. It may have been the work of two bull sharks.

Stephen Howard Schafer’s friends and family described him as kind, caring, and humble. He loved to put a smile on people’s faces and was very loved.