2 weeks ago
A bull shark akin to 1 that attacked a British man successful Tobago waters Friday swims successful a vessel astatine an aquarium successful Lisbon, Portugal. Photo by Jose Sena Goulao/EPA-EFE
April 27 (UPI) -- A British man is hospitalized successful intensive attraction Saturday aft a bull shark attacked him while swimming disconnected a formation successful nan Caribbean land of Tobago, section authorities said.
Tobago Chief Secretary Farley Chavez Augustine said during a press briefing Friday that Peter Smith, 64, was vacationing pinch his woman and friends erstwhile he was attacked successful Great Courland Bay, besides known arsenic Turtle Beach, conscionable hours earlier they were scheduled to alert backmost to Britain.
They decided to return 1 past aquatics early Friday, and nan man suffered a severed near thigh, severed near limb beneath his elbow and tummy lacerations erstwhile attacked by a bull shark.
"It's very regrettable that this happened connected their very past time of vacationing," Augustine said. "I americium happy to opportunity that he is unchangeable and is doing good and expected to retrieve from nan incident."
He said "extensive work" was required to thief Smith retrieve from his injuries and immoderate of his fingers were reattached. Smith is successful nan hospital's intensive attraction portion and sedated.
Smith was astir 35 feet from statement successful waist-deep h2o erstwhile nan onslaught occurred, witnesses said. They estimated nan shark was betwixt 8 and 10 feet successful length.
First responders pulled Smith from nan h2o and transported him to a section infirmary for surgery.
Responding to nan shark attack, Tobago's emergency services agencies closed Turtle Beach, which is located connected nan island's bluish coast, and advised different beaches on nan island's westbound seashore besides beryllium closed until further notice.
The agencies besides closed tours of reefs successful nan area and are utilizing drones to show section shark activities.
"This is simply a very different occurrence arsenic Tobago is renowned for its safe and beautiful beaches," officials pinch Tobago's Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation said successful a statement to The Guardian.
"The section besides for illustration to reassure nan nationalist that nan information of our visitors is simply a privilege and each expertise are being engaged to guarantee information and negociate this business arsenic champion arsenic possible," nan tourism officials added.
