American Minor Bitten By Shark In Cancun Released From Hospital

Last Updated 1 year ago

A 10-year-old American was released from a hospital in Colorado after surviving a shark attack while vacationing with his family in Cancun.

On the last day of their vacation in the Yucatan Peninsula, the Armijo family decided to enjoy a relaxing day on the beach, where their son, Dillon, was bitten in knee-deep water.

“I just didn’t see anything,” said Dillon. “I just saw the blood… I didn’t think I’d live.”

Dillon’s mom, Abby Armijo, described Dillon’s scream as “the most overwhelming thing I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Luckily bystanders, including a beachgoer, a lifeguard, and Dillon’s older brother, took action. After his brother dragged him onto the sand, Abby and other onlookers got Dillon onto a chair and put a tourniquet on his leg.

Dillon was rushed to a Cancun hospital, where he received treatment for four days before being airlifted back to the United States.

“We actually didn’t fully understand the extent of his injuries until we were back in Colorado,” said Abby.

Dillon’s Dad, Zach Armijo, described the extent of his son’s injuries, saying that “he’s no longer able to lift his foot” due to nerve damage.

With time, however, Dillon will be able to walk, run, and participate in sports, something Zach describes as being “the best we can hope for.”

“I feel really happy,” says Dillon, “knowing that I’m going to be able to play again.”

Despite the attack, Dillon says he will go back into the ocean when he is able, an attitude Abby thinks is “fantastic.”

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Aerial view of cancun beach half ocean and half sand with tourists swimming and enjoying the beach

Shark Attacks

According to Neil Hammerschlag, director of the Shark Research & Conservation Program at the University of Miami, “people should take kind of comfort in knowing that a shark bite is extremely rare.”

According to the International Shark Attack File, run by the Florida Museum of Natural History, there were 108 incidences of sharks attacking humans in 2022, tied for the lowest total in the past ten years. Of these cases, 57 were considered to be unprovoked.

None of the attacks reported in the file took place in Mexico. The United States led all countries with 41 unprovoked bites, 16 of which took place in Florida.

The risk of being attacked by a shark is very low. The Florida Museum of Natural History recommends that beachgoers are vigilant of rip tides and strong currents while swimming, given that drowning is the third leading cause of unnatural death worldwide.

Nevertheless, there are things you can do to decrease the chances of a shark attack. According to the International Shark Attack File, swimmers should do the following if they are worried about sharks:

Swim in groups
Swim close to the shore
Do not swim at dawn or dusk
Do not swim around schools of fish
Do not swim where people are fishing
Do not wear jewelry while swimming
Do not splash excessively while swimming

Tourists Swimming in the aqua blue water in the Water in Isla Mujeres.

Sharks in Cancun

According to Aqua World, a tourist agency in the Riviera Maya specializing in marine adventures, the species of shark that inhabit the waters around Cancun are not particularly aggressive or dangerous, which explains why shark attacks are so uncommon in the area.

While dangerous species of shark do live off the coast of the Yucatan, the most common species are nurse sharks, cat sharks, reef sharks, and bull sharks.

Aqua World recommends that visitors do not attempt to touch any living thing in the ocean. In the National Marine Parks of Cancun, it is illegal to touch anything underwater.

Lifeguard on a Cancun Beach standing barefoot in the sand and looking out at the Caribbean Sea.

They also emphasize the need to follow the advice of lifeguards and other authorities.

In 2011, a swimmer was bitten by a shark in Cancun after ignoring warnings to stay out of the water. The woman survived with an 8-inch wound on her foot.

However, for many, sharks are just one more reason to come to the Yucatan.

Many tourists enjoy searching for nurse sharks during guided night snorkeling tours and swimming with whale sharks during their migrations.

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