Amputation in a vacation paradise Woman wants to take a photo - shark bites off both her hands

A vacation in the Caribbean ended in a serious accident for a 55-year-old Canadian woman: she was seriously injured while trying to take a photo with a shark. The shark bit off both her hands.

A shark attack rocked the popular Caribbean vacation spot Turks and Caicos Islands last week: a 55-year-old Canadian woman lost both hands after trying to take a photo with a shark.

The attack occurred in shallow water near Thompson Cove Beach when the approximately 1.80 meter long shark snapped, according to regional authorities.

According to local authorities, the tourist had wanted to take a photo of the shark at close range when the predator attacked her. Her husband immediately jumped into the water to chase the shark away, but the damage had already been done. Other tourists provided first aid and used clothing to stop the bleeding.

Shark attacks are rare

The woman was immediately taken to hospital and later flown to Canada. One of her arms was amputated below the wrist, the other halfway up the forearm. The species of shark has not been confirmed, but reports suggest a bull shark.

Although shark attacks are rare in the Turks and Caicos Islands - there was only one reported case in 2023 - the authorities are now warning against reckless actions in the water. Feeding sharks is particularly dangerous. "People who feed sharks endanger both themselves and the animals," warned the authorities of the neighboring Cayman Islands, where feeding sharks has been banned since 2022.

Around 83 people worldwide fall victim to shark attacks every year, mainly off the coasts of Australia and the US East Coast. Experts explain that the increasing number of attacks is linked to the growing number of people in the water. "The more people and sharks are in the same area, the more likely they are to collide," Gavin Naylor from the Florida Program for Shark Research told theTelegraph.