After a Canadian woman vacationing in Turks and Caicos was attacked by a shark, doctors had to amputate both of her hands.
According to officials with the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), the 55-year-old woman was attacked on February 7 while snorkeling off waters adjacent to Blue Hills, Providenciales, the country’s main island. While the shark species is unknown, officials estimate it was around six feet long.
Immediately before the attack, the woman had been attempting “to engage with the animal from the shallows” to capture photographs of the large predator, an investigation revealed, per Fox News.
Upon realizing his wife was being attacked, the victim’s husband rushed into the water to help. Other bystanders joined in, trying to assist the woman and stop the bleeding.
After being taken to a local hospital, the woman was eventually flown off the island for additional medical care. Ultimately, the injuries she endured required both hands to be amputated.
After a short closure, the beaches where the attack occurred were reopened on Sunday.
“Stay safe in the water! Always be aware of your surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life. Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, and never swim alone. Do not attempt to feed marine wildlife,” read a press release from the Turks & Caicos Department of Environment & Coastal Resources.
The Turks and Caicos Island website says four people were attacked by sharks in the country between 2021 and 2025, with all victims surviving, Fox reported. However, in one instance last year, a man snorkeling at Leeward Reef off the same Providenciales island was attacked and later had to have his leg amputated above the knee.
Shark attacks are not just isolated to the Caribbean.
Last year, The Dallas Express reported that multiple people were left with bites after a shark attacked them during an Independence Day celebration on South Padre Island.
In another incident in Texas, a teenager vacationing at Jamaica Beach in Galveston had to fight off a shark after being attacked. The shark, estimated to be between four and five feet long, grabbed Damania Humphrey’s hand while she was in waist-deep water, forcing her to defend herself.