A woman lost her foot to a shark attack in the Bahamas. Heidi Ernst, 73, was scuba diving June 7 off Taino Beach, Bahamas. The avid diver had just logged her 500th scuba dive last month and has never been threatened by a shark before.
Ernst and the crew were relaxing on the boat taking a long break before taking their next dive when they saw a glass bottom boat feeding sharks near the area.
Ernst waited about 30 minutes before popping in the water to rinse off. As she climbed the ladder, she instinctively threw her left leg out, as she would when wearing a fin, and a shark grabbed it. She was able to strike the suspected shaking reef shark and make it onboard where her friend applied a tourniquet. The Iowa resident was rushed back to shore and treated at a local hospital before being taken by air ambulance to Jackson Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, Florida.
Unfortunately, the severely injured leg was infected from the sea water and had to be amputated above the ankle. The power lifter, who also is a physical therapist, had surgery to prevent future nerve pain and appears to be in good spirits after being discharged from the hospital.
Although she has insurance, there are still out-of-pocket medical expenses, and a friend has set up a GoFundMe account to help.
Despite the injury Ernst is staying positive and wants people to know that that the dive operators, along with all the medical staff saved her life.
The incident comes on the heels of another possible shark encounter in the Bahamas.
Cameron Robbins, 18, was visiting the islands after graduating from high school.
The Louisiana teen was with a group of friends May 25 on a pirate themed alcohol cruise. Around 9:40 p.m. Robbins, on a supposed dare, jumped overboard in his shorts. Video from the scene appears to show what might be a shark surfacing near the boat. Robbins can be seen swimming away from the possible shark and a life ring as he heads to the back of the boat.
Unfortunately, he disappeared and despite an extensive search by the Coast Guard, was never located.
Both locations are marked on the 2023 Shark Attack Map.
