A Canadian tourist, Nathalie Ross is reported to have lost both hands in a shark attack while trying to interact with the animal for a photograph.
The incident occurred on February 7 at around 10:30 a.m. in the shallow waters off Thompson’s Cove Beach, located on the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean.
According to reports, Ross’s husband attempted to fend off the shark before she was brought to shore.
Distressing photos from the scene show her lying on the beach as her husband and others work desperately to stop the bleeding.
Local media outlet Magnetic Media reported that, in addition to losing both hands, Ross also sustained a bite wound on her thigh. She was airlifted to a hospital for urgent medical treatment and is expected to survive.
In a statement quoted by the Miami Herald, the Turks & Caicos Islands Government revealed that the shark was approximately six feet long, though its species has not yet been identified.
Authorities confirmed that Ross had attempted to engage with the shark from the shallows in an effort to capture photographs before the attack occurred.
Following the incident, officials temporarily closed Thompson’s Cove Beach until midday on February 9 after determining that the shark had moved into deeper waters.
Footage has since surfaced showing a shark thrashing in the water near the site of the attack.
The waters surrounding the Turks and Caicos Islands are known to host a variety of shark species, including tiger sharks, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, and reef sharks, according to Visit Turks & Caicos Islands.
The attack comes just weeks after a similar tragedy in Australia, where 17-year-old Charlize Zmuda was killed by a shark while swimming off Woorim Beach on Bribie Island, Queensland.
