A British tourist is in intensive care after suffering serious injuries in a rare shark attack off the coast of Tobago.
The man, named by local officials as Peter Smith, 64, of Berkhamsted, Herts, is being treated at the Caribbean island’s Scarborough General Hospital.
Mr Smith was reported to have been just 30ft from the shore on Turtle Beach, a popular spot near the all-inclusive Starfish resort on
the southwestern tip of the island, when the shark struck.
Witnesses said he was only about waist deep in water at the time of the attack, around 9am local time on Friday. They believe he was attacked from behind by a bull shark, measuring between 8ft and 10ft long.
Mr Smith is believed to be in a stable condition but has suffered serious injuries to his left arm, left leg and stomach.
Farley Augustine, leader of the Tobagonian government, said doctors had managed to reattach some of his fingers.
Mr Augustine said Mr Smith, his wife Joanna, 62, and the friends they were travelling with had been due to fly home on the day of the attack. He added that the local government was working closely with the British High Commission to “ensure that the family gets all that they need during this difficult time”.
Stephanie Wright, a British tourist who saw the attack, said she noticed people gathering on the beach and thought they may have been aiding someone who had suffered a cardiac arrest.
“Then I saw a dorsal fin come out of the sea and I went, ‘Oh my God, it’s a shark.’ And as it turned I saw the tail come out as well.”
Bull sharks, which often frequent shallow water and can even venture into the fresh water of river mouths, are known for their aggression.
Along with tiger sharks and great whites, they are one of the three shark species most frequently involved in attacks on humans.
Shark attacks in Tobago are extremely rare – records show only two other incidents in the past 20 years.
Officials immediately closed the beaches on Tobago’s western coast and issued a temporary ban on reef tours and scuba-diving. They are also using drones to scan the waters.
A $10,000 (£8,000) bounty was initially offered to any fishing crew who could capture the shark, but this was later withdrawn to keep people out of the water.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
