Three tourists are recovering—one with missing appendages—after shark attacks in The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos.
Tourist Loses Both Hands to a Shark in Turks and Caicos
A 55-year-old woman was playing in the shallows off Thompson’s Cove Beach on Feb. 7 when a shark appeared. According to authorities, the unidentified Canadian tourist approached the shark around 10:30 a.m. and was seriously injured.
“Further to the investigation, it has been determined that the tourist had attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs,” the Environmental Outreach Coordinator of the Providenciales, Turks & Caicos said.
Some reports suggest the woman may have tried to pick up the shark, which quickly bit her arms, hands, and leg. She was helped out of the water, and a photo of the scene shows first responders wrapping her wounds with towels.
She was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where she was stabilized before being flown back to Canada for further treatment. Reports indicate she lost one hand at the wrist and the other at the mid-forearm.
People close to the case believe a 6-foot tiger shark may have been involved, while some at the beach suspect a bull shark.
Another Canadian Tourist Lost a Leg to a Shark in Turks and Caicos Last Year
Louis Arsenault, 27, was snorkeling off the Leeward Cut on the eastern side of Providenciales on May 23 when he was attacked by a shark.
The professional kiteboarder from Prince Edward Island lost his right leg in the incident.
Two Friends Attacked by Sharks in The Bahamas
Summer Layman, 24, and Rileigh Decker, 20, were swimming in Bimini Bay on Feb. 7 when they were attacked by a shark.
The duo were on a yacht with friends when, around 6:30 p.m., they decided to jump into the water. As they swam toward the moored boat’s ladder, Layman felt something brush against her foot. Concerned but not alarmed, the two continued toward the ladder when Decker suddenly felt something pull her leg—she immediately knew it was a shark.
They rushed to the ladder, where friends helped pull Decker up, as she was too weak to climb on her own. Once aboard, friends began screaming upon realizing Layman’s foot had been “shredded.” She had not realized that the “brush” she had felt earlier was actually the shark biting her foot.
Friends quickly made tourniquets and carried the women to shore, where they were taken to a clinic. The more seriously injured Decker was later flown to a hospital in Nassau. After she was stabilized, both women were flown back to Florida for treatment.
Layman received 48 stitches and needed skin grafts, while Decker has undergone two surgeries and may require more.
Authorities believe a bull shark was responsible and may have been attracted to the splash when the women jumped into the water.
All locations have been marked on the Shark Attack Map.
