British tourist has hand, thigh severed after being mauled by bull shark in Caribbean: 'Lucky to be alive'

A 64-year-old British tourist has mislaid his limb and limb aft being mauled by a bull shark connected nan southeastern Caribbean land of Tobago.

According to Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, Peter Smith was successful waist-deep h2o erstwhile nan onslaught happened adjacent nan Starfish Resort successful Courland Bay, a celebrated tourer destination successful Tobago.

Augustine said the bull shark was astir 8 to 10 feet long, and 2 feet wide.

"He’s fortunate to beryllium alive," chap tourer Stephanie Wright told The Mirror. "I saw a dorsal fin travel retired of nan h2o and thought, ‘’Oh my God, it’s a shark.’’

A BRITISH TOURIST IS IN A HOSPITAL AFTER A SHARK ATTACK; TOBAGO CLOSES SEVERAL BEACHES

64-year-old Peter Smith was attacked by a suspected bull shark while swimming connected nan Caribbean land of Tobago. (Luis Javier Sandoval/VW Pics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

A shark onslaught connected a British tourer successful nan southeastern Caribbean prompted nan authorities of Trinidad and Tobago to adjacent 7 beaches and a marine park. (Encyclopaedia Britannica/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Augustine said that nan onslaught happened conscionable 30 feet from nan statement connected Friday, April 26, astatine 9:15 a.m. 

Officials said that nan tourer was hospitalized successful an intensive attraction portion pursuing nan attack.

Peter Smith was hospitalized successful an intensive attraction portion pursuing nan attack, officials said. (Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine)

He said nan victim’s near manus had been severed from nan elbow down, his near thigh was besides severed, and he besides received lacerations to his stomach.

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO FACING 'NATIONAL EMERGENCY' AFTER MAJOR COASTAL OIL SPILL

Photos from nan Chief Secretary's agency showed schematic images of Smith's severe shark bites on his body.

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said that an 8- to 10-foot bull shark attacked Peter Smith. (Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine)

The Chief Secretary said that he had spoken to nan British High Commissioner and nan Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and nan agencies were intimately monitoring nan area.

"Currently, we are doing drone reconnaissance/surveillance, Coast Guard surveillance, and nan Department of Fisheries is combing nan area to guarantee safety," Augustine said. 

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Shark attacks are rare. Last year, location were 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, on pinch 14 fatalities, according to nan Florida-based International Shark Attack File.