An American tourist recently died off the coast of Costa Rica in a tragic shark attack—a deadly incident that is extremely rare.

The Costa Rican newspaper La Nación reports that the 49-year-old woman was attacked by a tiger shark while diving off Cocos Island, a forested volcanic island and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Her 26-year-old guide also reportedly suffered injuries.

Tiger sharks had been absent from the island's waters for some 30 years but returned in 2012, La Nación reported at the time. (Find out more about tiger sharks.)

While the tragic incident may evoke Jaws to some, sharks don't target humans and generally avoid them—and unprovoked attacks are extraordinarily uncommon. If unprovoked, the recent