A woman has lost both of her hands in a horrific shark attack in Turks and Caicos while reportedly trying to take a picture of the animal.1 This article details the shark attack and emphasizes the importance of shark safety.
The Canadian tourist was mauled off the coast of the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean. She was reportedly in the shallows, only a few meters from the shoreline, when the savage attack took place. The 55-year-old was “attempting to engage” with the animal and take a picture of it, according to local authorities.2 This tragic incident underscores the dangers of interacting with marine wildlife.
Witnesses said that the woman’s family were watching on in horror from the beach as her husband tried to fight off the shark. Local officials said that it was around 1.8m in length and continued circling in the shallows after the attack. The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) said they were called to the scene and saw the woman’s family huddled around her and trying to stem the blood flow from her catastrophic injuries. Distressing images show their desperate attempts to perform lifesaving measures with any towels and materials available. The family’s quick thinking and response was critical in this emergency response situation.
“I was there for 40 minutes and it was still lingering,” one witness told Magnetic Media. “That shark bite victim lost both her hands and some forearms. Her husband tried to fight it off.” A witness claimed the woman managed to hobble to the safety of the beach despite her injuries which included a bite to her upper left leg.3 This shark bite resulted in severe injuries, including amputation.
Royal TCI Police said in a statement: “At 10:33am today (07th February), the Police Control Room of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force received a report that a female visitor had been injured while swimming.4 Medical personnel and the police were dispatched to the given location in Blue Hills, Providenciales.5 The 55-year-old victim was brought ashore and rushed to the Cheshire Hall Medical Center for treatment.” She was later transported off the island for further medical care.6 It has been reported that one of her hands was amputated at the wrist and the other halfway down her forearm.7 She is expected to survive the ordeal despite her life-changing injuries. This shark attack survivor faces a long road to recovery.
Reports suggest that it was a bull shark that carried out the attack but the exact species has not been confirmed. The waters around the islands are home to numerous types of sharks including grey reef sharks, nurse sharks, tiger sharks and bull sharks.8 The beach was closed by DECR from Thompson’s Cove Beach to Froggies ATV, Blue Hills until 1pm on Sunday when it was deemed safe. While the specific type of bull shark is suspected, it is not confirmed.
The DECR warned the public to continue to be aware of their surroundings and to respect marine wildlife.9 It reminded swimmers to only be in designated zones, avoid murky water, never swim alone, and to never try to feed marine wildlife. These are essential shark safety tips for anyone swimming in areas where sharks may be present. This incident highlights the importance of ocean safety and travel safety precautions. It’s a tragic reminder of the potential dangers of animal attacks. This article serves as a cautionary tale and emphasizes the need for responsible behavior around wildlife.
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