Explore public shark-human incident records associated with the 1940S.
Decade views are useful for navigating the historical archive, but they are not a direct measure of changing shark behavior. Human population, water recreation, fishing, emergency response, media coverage and database practices changed substantially over time.
Unknown species, uncertain classifications and approximate dates remain visible. Every chart should state the data-through date and link back to the underlying incident records.
August 10, 1949 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Cosenza, Calabria, ITALY. Recorded date: 1949-08-10. Classification: Unprovoked.
July 28, 1949 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Bashamir, Shatt-al-Arab River, IRAN. Recorded date: 1949-07-28. Classification: Unprovoked.
July 25, 1949 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Oketee River Jasper County South Carolina USA, United States in 1949-07-25. Recorded activity: Floating on back. Classification: Unprovoked. Outcome: Non-fatal.
July 7, 1949 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Shatt-el-Arab River, IRAN. Recorded date: 1949-07-07. Classification: Unprovoked.
June 13, 1949 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Between Tientsin & Hong Kong, CHINA. Recorded date: 1949-06-13. Classification: Sea Disaster.
May 12, 1949 · Provoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Nelson's Bay, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1949-05-12. Classification: Provoked.
April 13, 1949 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Miramar Beach, Tampico, Tamaulipas, MEXICO. Recorded date: 1949-04-13. Classification: Unprovoked.
1949 · Watercraft · Non-fatal
Historical record: San Vincenzo, Tyrrhenian Sea, ITALY. Recorded date: not recorded. Classification: Watercraft.
December 14, 1948 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Abadan, Shat-Al-Arab River, IRAN. Recorded date: 1948-12-14. Classification: Unprovoked.
December 5, 1948 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: 500 nautical miles southwest of Johnston Island, Between Kwajalein Atoll & Johnston Island, NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. Recorded date: 1948-12-05. Classification: Sea Disaster.
September 22, 1948 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Keratsini, Attica, GREECE. Recorded date: 1948-09-22. Classification: Unprovoked.
August 1, 1948 · Provoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Lerner Marine Laboratory, Bimini Islands, BAHAMAS. Recorded date: 1948-08-01. Classification: Provoked.
June 6, 1948 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Saipan, NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1948-06-06. Classification: Unprovoked.
May 10, 1948 · Provoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Shatt-al-Arab River, IRAN. Recorded date: 1948-05-10. Classification: Provoked.
November 1, 1947 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Moreton Bay, Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1947-11-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
July 27, 1947 · Provoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California, USA. Recorded date: 1947-07-27. Classification: Provoked.
February 1, 1947 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL. Recorded date: 1947-02-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
February 1947 · Provoked · Non-fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Cable Beach New Providence Island Bahamas in 1947-02. Recorded activity: Attempting to ride or handle a shark. Classification: Provoked. Outcome: Non-fatal.
July 17, 1946 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Ahvaz On The Karun River 275 Km From The Sea Khuzestan Province Iran in 1946-07-17. Recorded activity: Swimming. Classification: Unprovoked. Outcome: Non-fatal.
July 17, 1946 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Dorquain On The Karun River Khuzestan Province Iran in 1946-07-17. Recorded activity: Fishing, probably with a net. Classification: Unprovoked. Outcome: Non-fatal.
April 19, 1946 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Trinity Beach, Cairns, Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1946-04-19. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 5, 1946 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Oatley Bay near Como, George’s River, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1946-01-05. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 1, 1946 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Head of the Gulf, PERSIAN GULF. Recorded date: 1946-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
September 23, 1945 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Tweed Beach, HONG KONG. Recorded date: 1945-09-23. Classification: Unprovoked.
July 30, 1945 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: 200 miles Leyte, In transit between Tinian and Leyte, PHILIPPINES. Recorded date: 1945-07-30. Classification: Sea Disaster.
July 1, 1945 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Off Cheribon, Northern Java, JAVA. Recorded date: 1945-07-01. Classification: Sea Disaster.
January 1, 1945 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Mouth of Rio Dudio, 50 miles west of the city of Colon, Colon Province, PANAMA. Recorded date: 1945-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
October 26, 1944 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Bernardino Strait near Gulf of Leyte, PHILIPPINES. Recorded date: 1944-10-26. Classification: Sea Disaster.
October 23, 1944 · Watercraft · Non-fatal
Historical record: Tewantin, Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1944-10-23. Classification: Watercraft.
June 23, 1944 · Invalid · Unknown
Historical record: Aircraft went down on 6/12/1944. He survived on raft for 11 days and was 150 miles off Guam when rescued, NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. Recorded date: 1944-06-23. Classification: Invalid.
February 18, 1944 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Triplicane Beach, Chennai, INDIA. Recorded date: 1944-02-18. Classification: Unprovoked.
July 1, 1943 · Watercraft · Non-fatal
Historical record: Sines, PORTUGAL. Recorded date: 1943-07-01. Classification: Watercraft.
March 13, 1943 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Sierra Leone in 1943-03-13. Recorded activity: Shipwreck / people in the water. Classification: Air/sea disaster. Outcome: Fatal.
January 1, 1943 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Guadalcanal, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1943-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
1943 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Huon Gulf, Morobe Province, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Recorded date: not recorded. Classification: Sea Disaster.
November 16, 1942 · Air/sea disaster · Non-fatal
Historical record: Battle of Guadalcanal, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1942-11-16. Classification: Sea Disaster.
November 13, 1942 · Air/sea disaster · Non-fatal
Historical record: Off Guadalcanal, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1942-11-13. Classification: Sea Disaster.
November 12, 1942 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Off Savo Island, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1942-11-12. Classification: Sea Disaster.
January 1, 1942 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: Surabaya, East Java, INDONESIA. Recorded date: 1942-01-01. Classification: Sea Disaster.
December 2, 1941 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Carnarvon Western Australia Australia in 1941-12-02. Recorded activity: Swimming. Classification: Unprovoked. Outcome: Non-fatal.
November 25, 1941 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: North of Pernambuco, Brazil, SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN. Recorded date: 1941-11-25. Classification: Sea Disaster.
January 1, 1941 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Gaire Village, between Rigo & Port Moresby, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Recorded date: 1941-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 1, 1941 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Munda, New Georgia, SOLOMON ISLANDS. Recorded date: 1941-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 1, 1941 · Air/sea disaster · Fatal
Historical record: ATLANTIC OCEAN. Recorded date: 1941-01-01. Classification: Sea Disaster.
1941 · Other · Unknown
Multiple historical incidents share this year and location URL. Each supplied record is shown separately.
December 28, 1940 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Stockton Beach, Newcastle, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1940-12-28. Classification: Unprovoked.
December 19, 1940 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Inyoni Rocks, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA. Recorded date: 1940-12-19. Classification: Unprovoked.
December 19, 1940 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Double Island Beach, Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1940-12-19. Classification: Unprovoked.
June 30, 1940 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Holden Beach, Brunswick County, North Carolina, USA. Recorded date: 1940-06-30. Classification: Unprovoked.
March 31, 1940 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: Danger Pool, Winkelspruit, South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA. Recorded date: 1940-03-31. Classification: Unprovoked.
February 20, 1940 · Watercraft · Non-fatal
Historical record: Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1940-02-20. Classification: Watercraft.
February 4, 1940 · Unprovoked · Fatal
Historical record: North Brighton, Botany Bay, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1940-02-04. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 29, 1940 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Brisbane River, Queensland, AUSTRALIA. Recorded date: 1940-01-29. Classification: Unprovoked.
January 7, 1940 · Unprovoked · Fatal
A historical reference describes an event at Warner Beach South Coast Kwazulu Natal South Africa in 1940-01-07. Recorded activity: Swimming. Classification: Unprovoked. Outcome: Fatal.
January 1, 1940 · Invalid · Unknown
Historical record: Kowie River Mouth, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape Province, SOUTH AFRICA. Recorded date: 1940-01-01. Classification: Invalid.
January 1, 1940 · Invalid · Unknown
Historical record: Winkelspruit, KwaZulu-Natal, SOUTH AFRICA. Recorded date: 1940-01-01. Classification: Invalid.
January 1, 1940 · Unprovoked · Non-fatal
Historical record: Kerema, Western Papuan Gulf, PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Recorded date: 1940-01-01. Classification: Unprovoked.
1940 · Other · Non-fatal
Historical record: Kidd's Beach, Eastern Cape, SOUTH AFRICA. Recorded date: 1940. Classification: Invalid / questionable.
1940 · Watercraft · Non-fatal
Historical record: Koper, Adriatic Sea, SLOVENIA. Recorded date: not recorded. Classification: Watercraft.