An Italian tourist, approximately 85 years old, has suffered a severe bite to her left calf following an attack by an unknown marine species. Although the animal could not be located, initial reports suggest that, based on the shape of the bite, it could have been a blue shark, a stingray, or a triggerfish. The incident took place at Balneario 6 on Playa de Palma.
Toni Grau, the Director General of Fisheries and a marine biologist, believes it couldn't have been a blue shark or a stingray, but must have been caused by a triggerfish. "When you look at the image of the wound, it appears as if something has been pulled — there's no clear mark of teeth along the edges of the wound. By process of elimination, the only thing that comes to mind is a triggerfish. It fits, because they have a beak-like mouth similar to a parrot's and are quite aggressive. It's also a species that is expanding and tends to live in sandy areas."
Marine biodiversity expert Aniol Esteban from the Marilles foundation said: “We don’t believe it was a shark, as it would have been seen. Statistics show that shark attacks in Mediterranean waters are extremely rare. Our hypothesis is that the attack may have been caused by a bluefish, also known as anjova or pez azul.”
The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is a large, highly voracious predatory fish with a powerful jaw. It inhabits temperate, coastal waters and is commonly found in the Mediterranean during the warmer months. In fact, experts note that “it’s normal for it to approach the shore, and there have been recorded attacks by this species.”
It usually hunts near the surface and doesn't typically attack humans, but its aggressive behaviour—especially when it feels threatened or is feeding—can lead to incidents like the one at Playa de Palma. Its presence in areas with high human activity may be increasing due to changes in marine ecosystems.
Due to the potential danger of the situation, lifeguards made the decision to raise the red flag and evacuate the shoreline while they carried out a thorough search for the marine animal using their boats. Environmental officers from the local council also arrived at the scene to assist in the search, but were unsuccessful. As they were unable to locate the animal, they decided to restore the green flag approximately an hour after beginning the search.
At around 11.45 a.m., several beachgoers who witnessed the bite alerted Palma Local Police and other emergency services, who quickly arrived at the scene. The bite tore away part of the skin and left a significant gash in her leg. Two ambulances treated her at the scene before transporting her to Clínica Rotger.
This is not the first report of biting fish this summer. Just last month, several holidaymakers reported similar incidents along the beaches of Mallorca, particularly around Playa de Palma. Swimmers have described being nipped on the legs and feet by small, aggressive fish while in shallow water. The rise in such cases over recent years has sparked growing concern, with marine experts suggesting that environmental changes and increasing water temperatures may be driving certain species closer to shore. From Sa Ràpita to Cala d'Or, the phenomenon seems to be affecting various parts of the island, and while most bites are minor, some have led to more serious injuries requiring medical attention.