Unprovoked shark attacks are rare in the Bahamas, with just 34 recorded since 1580, according to the Florida Museum’s International Shark Attack File. This ranks the Caribbean country ninth among all tracked countries, with the US leading at 1,640 cases, followed by Australia with 706 and South Africa with 262, the data shows.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said two American women were bitten by a shark while touring the country's Bimini district.

The American tourists were swimming off Bimini Bay - a popular Bahamas resort - on Friday evening when they were set upon by the beast, with one reportedly suffering serious injuries