10-year-old boy hospitalized after being attacked by a shark during a 'shark tank' expedition in the Bahamas

• A child from Maryland was hospitalized in the Bahamas after being bitten by a shark.
• The incident occurred on Atlantis Island during a "shark tank" expedition, local police said.
• A Massachusetts woman was killed by a shark while paddle boarding near the Bahamas in December. 

A 10-year-old boy on a tropical vacation was hospitalized after being attacked by a shark while participating in a "shark tank" expedition on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force released a statement this week confirming that a child from Maryland was bitten by a shark around 4 p.m. local time on Monday.

Authorities cited preliminary reports that said the boy was bitten on the right leg by a shark during a "shark tank" activity at a local resort on the island.

The boy was transported to a hospital where he was receiving medical attention, police said. As of the Monday update, he was in stable condition.

Authorities said an investigation is ongoing into the incident.

The excursion was operated by Blue Adventures. In a statement to Business Insider, owner Stuart Cove said a dive instructor and dive guide were in the water with the child when he was bitten and immediately responded to provide medical attention.

Cove said his company has been operating the shark experience since 2006 and never had a guest-related incident. He said the excursion will remain closed as the company conducts an internal investigation into the incident. 

"Incidents like this involving interactions with marine life, even with the species of sharks included in this experience, are rare and never acceptable," Cove said. 

The incident comes a little more than a month after a Boston woman was killed by a shark off the coast of the Bahamas while paddle boarding in December. 

But the odds of being attacked by a shark while swimming are relatively low — just one in 3.75 million, according to the International Wildlife Museum. 

Update: January 17, 2023: This story has been updated to include a comment from Stuart Cove of Blue Adventures.