A Canadian tourist, Nathalie Ross, 55, lost both her hands after being attacked by a shark while attempting to “engage” with the animal for a photo.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on February 7 in shallow waters off Thompson’s Cove Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Witnesses reported that Ross’s husband tried to fend off the shark before she was brought to shore. Photos captured Ross lying on the beach as her husband and others attempted to stop the bleeding. According to Magnetic Media, she also sustained a bite to her thigh.
Ross was airlifted to a hospital and is expected to survive.
The Turks & Caicos Islands Government, in a statement reported by the Miami Herald, noted that the shark was approximately 6 feet long, though its species has not yet been identified.
Authorities confirmed that Ross had tried to engage with the animal from the shallows to take photographs.
The attack took place at Thompson’s Cove Beach, located in the Blue Hills settlement on the north side of Providenciales, the nation’s main island.
Officials closed the beach until midday on February 9 after determining that the shark had moved into deeper waters. Footage has since emerged showing a shark thrashing in the water near the site of the attack.
