A 64-year-old British man was admitted to intensive care after a shark attack in Trinidad and Tobago. The incident took place near a hotel at Great Courland Bay on the Caribbean island.
This is reported by the British newspaper Sky News.
The man’s condition is said to be stable, but the tourist suffered serious injuries to his arm, thigh and stomach, according to Farley Augustine, the head of Tobago’s government.
According to local authorities, it was a bull shark that attacked the man. It was around two and a half to three meters long, and just over half a meter wide.
The shark attack led to the authorities choosing to close seven beaches and a water park along the north-west coast of the island.
BULL SHARK: According to National Geographic, bull sharks are aggressive and many experts consider them to be the most dangerous shark species. Illustration photo: Carlos Grillo / Shutterstock / NTB
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Promised bounty
– The victim had, among other things, some fingers sewn on, and hopefully they will be able to save these, says Augustine during a press conference, according to the British newspaper.
On one of his legs, the 64-year-old has an extensive open wound that cannot be completely closed, and will need extensive treatment, according to the manager.
– The health worker’s task now is to stabilize and try to save both life and limb.
A reward of 10,000 US dollars, equivalent to around NOK 110,400, was promised to those who managed to catch the shark. The bounty was later withdrawn.
– Never seen anything like it
– Tried to fight
An employee from the resort hotel, Orion Jakerov, witnessed the attack. According to Sky News, Jakerov told local media that the 64-year-old was in water about up to his waist when the bull shark attacked.
– The other people in the water tried to physically fight the shark while it attacked, says Jakerov.
Appeared in the Oslo Fjord
Another British tourist, Stephanie Wright, was also present on the beach during the incident. When she first noticed several people gathering on the beach, she thought they might be helping someone who had suffered a cardiac arrest.
– When I saw a shark fin coming out of the water, I said: “Oh my God, it’s a shark”, and when it turned around I also saw the tail, she tells Sky News.
The closure of the beach will allow the coast guard and the local Ministry of Fisheries to investigate the incident, and “neutralize the shark threat, if possible”, reports local authorities.
