How Many Shark Attacks at Myrtle Beach? | 36 Recorded

Myrtle Beach has 36 recorded shark attacks through 2024; broader Grand Strand counts run higher because nearby beaches are grouped separately.

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The number behind how many shark attacks at Myrtle Beach depends on the boundary used. A 2025 beach-level records analysis counted 36 incidents under the Myrtle Beach name through 2024, while broader summaries place the surrounding local beaches at about 50 incidents over roughly a century.

Those figures are not annual totals. They are cumulative historical records, and most documented Myrtle Beach incidents were nonfatal bites involving swimmers, waders, or board riders close to shore. The latest published beach ranking ends in 2024, so it should be stated with that cutoff rather than presented as a live counter.

Shark Attacks At Myrtle Beach: Why Totals Differ

Myrtle Beach totals differ because databases do not always use the same shoreline boundary or case definition. A report may count only incidents labeled “Myrtle Beach,” while another may include North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Garden City, Cherry Grove, and other Grand Strand locations.

• City-only counts use incidents recorded under the Myrtle Beach place name.
• Horry County counts can include several beach communities beyond the city limits.
• Grand Strand counts may cover a long coastal area from Little River toward Georgetown County.
• Confirmed unprovoked counts exclude cases involving fishing, handling, feeding, or uncertain identification.

The cleanest answer for the named destination is 36 through 2024. The broader “about 50” figure answers a different question: how many incidents have occurred across Myrtle Beach-area beaches.

What Count Should You Trust?

The 36-incident tally is the most useful number when someone means Myrtle Beach itself. Travelers asking about the whole vacation area should treat about 50 as a rough regional figure, not as a precise city total.

Historical totals can also shift when researchers reclassify a case, add an old newspaper report, or remove an incident that cannot be confirmed. A count should always carry its location boundary, date cutoff, and case definition.

What The Official Record Counts

The International Shark Attack File separates confirmed unprovoked bites from provoked incidents, boat bites, doubtful reports, and cases with too little evidence. That distinction keeps a swimmer bitten in open water from being grouped with someone bitten while unhooking a shark.

The Florida Museum of Natural History provides an official shark-attack interactive map with date and outcome filters. The map is the stronger source for confirmed unprovoked cases, while local and commercial rankings may combine broader case types or place names.

“Shark attack” is also a looser public phrase than the scientific term “shark bite.” A bite can range from a small foot wound to a life-threatening injury, so the cumulative number alone does not describe severity.

Are Shark Attacks Common At Myrtle Beach?

Shark attacks are rare at Myrtle Beach when the historical count is compared with the huge number of people entering the water across many decades. The record still deserves respect because even a low-frequency event can cause a serious injury.

Nearshore species such as blacktip, spinner, and sandbar sharks move through South Carolina waters. Smaller coastal sharks are often difficult to identify from a brief encounter, which is why many case records list an unknown shark or a broad species group.

Beachgoers can reduce avoidable risk without treating the ocean as closed:

• Swim near lifeguarded areas and follow posted flags or beach closures.
• Stay in a group and remain close enough to shore to exit quickly.
• Avoid swimming near fishing piers, active anglers, bait schools, or feeding birds.
• Leave the water if fish begin moving erratically or a shark is sighted nearby.
• Use extra care in murky water and during low-light periods around dawn or dusk.
• Do not handle a hooked or stranded shark.

A shark sighting does not count as an attack, and a fin offshore does not mean swimmers are being hunted. Local officials may clear the water as a precaution, then reopen it after checking conditions.

Where To Stay For Easier Beach-Safety Checks

Central oceanfront lodging can make same-day safety checks simpler because travelers can see posted beach conditions and speak with on-duty staff before entering the water. Hotel location does not change shark behavior, but easy access to staffed stretches can improve decision-making.

Travelers comparing oceanfront and inland options can view the Myrtle Beach hotel area here:

Beach staffing, flags, and swimming restrictions can vary by block and day. Check the conditions at the access point you plan to use rather than relying on yesterday’s report from another part of the Grand Strand.

A Practical Reading Of The Number

The useful answer is 36 recorded incidents at Myrtle Beach through 2024, with about 50 often cited for the wider local-beach area. Neither number means Myrtle Beach has dozens of attacks each year.

• Use 36 when discussing the named Myrtle Beach beach tally.
• Use about 50 only when clearly referring to surrounding Grand Strand beaches.
• Use six over a recent decade to show the modern frequency reported by local coverage.
• Do not convert the total into a personal odds claim without reliable attendance data for the same years and shoreline boundary.

The count supports a calm conclusion: shark bites do occur, but they remain uncommon, and practical beach habits matter more than a centuries-long ranking. Follow current flags, stay away from active fishing zones, and leave the water when lifeguards or police issue an alert.