What happened to Raleigh Decker and Summer Layman? Shark attack in the Bahamas injures two American tourists

Summer Layman, 24, and Rileigh Decker, 20, were on their dream vacation when a shark attacked them while they were swimming in Bimini Bay, a popular resort in the Bahamas. The attack reportedly happened around 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

According to NBC News, the two friends were swimming near a yacht when the incident happened. Decker first felt something brush against her leg after entering the water. About two minutes later, she felt a strong pull and realized a shark had bitten her.

Layman was also injured on the top of her foot during the attack, but she didn’t notice it at first.

Speaking with the news outlet, Decker recalled:

“I was like, ‘Summer, what was that?’ And she was like, ‘Don’t scare me like that.’ And probably about two minutes later, we were right by the ladder. I felt my leg get tugged down, and I immediately knew I was bit by a shark.”

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Rileigh Decker and Summer Layman attacked by a shark

Friends and family quickly retrieved them from the sea and wrapped Decker's leg right away.

The two women were taken to a neighboring clinic before being flown to a hospital in New Providence for further treatment, according to an NBC News report.

Decker suffered more serious wounds. They were sent back to Florida after they were stable, where Decker had to undergo surgery.

In an interview with TODAY on NBC, Decker said she was thankful she had made it through the trauma.

"We are just incredibly thankful to still be alive and have all our limbs".

During the attack, Decker recalled praying for her life, saying:

"I just put my head in my hands and started praying that God wouldn’t take my life and I would live.”

Decker confirmed that she would never return to the water, not even to dip her toes, while Layman said she would not be going in for a long time.

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Investigation of the shark attack

The incident is being looked into by the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Authorities suspect a bull shark may have attacked women.

Although there aren't many shark attacks in the Bahamas, the nation is one of the places where shark attacks occur most frequently worldwide.

The Florida Museum's international shark attack registry shows that 34 documented unprovoked events have occurred since records began.

A Boston woman, 44, lost her life in 2023 after being bitten by a shark while paddleboarding close to a resort.

Again, in April 2024, a 24-year-old man fell into a harbor and was bitten by sharks seconds later.

Another shark attack happened when Cole Taschman was bitten on both feet. He had 93 stitches and endured two surgical procedures. In 2013, he was bitten once before.