The Canadian woman put both hands in front of her to protect herself before the seven-foot-bull shark bit off both limbs when she was wading through hip deep water
The family of a woman who had her hands bitten off by a shark has revealed the full list of injuries she suffered as they launch a fundraiser to support her.
The Canadian woman and her husband’s holiday to the Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands earlier this month ended in “a nightmare” when a shark bit off her limbs. The 55-year-old woman was “hip deep” in clear water when a seven-foot-long bull shark attacked her. After spotting the woman, the shark circled her and bit her thigh. The shark then backed off for a moment before returning.
“Not satisfied, the shark came back again and when she put both hands in front of her to protect herself, the shark cut off both of her hands, one at mid forearm and the other at the wrist,” the family said in the GoFundMe campaign. “Her husband, having rushed back to help, then managed to wrestle away the shark and stayed between her and the shark until she walked out of the water and collapsed on the beach.”
Emergency care was given to the woman before she was taken to a hospital for treatment. She was later returned to Canada where she continues to recover. “Following first aid on the beach, she was transported to a local hospital for treatment, but had to be flown back to Canada by air ambulance for further surgery and recovery,” the family said in the campaign. They continued: “These events have completely changed their lives in the blink of an eye.”
Harrowing images taken at the time of the attack showed people gathered around the woman after she returned to the beach. Cloths were wrapped around her arms as people held on tightly in hope to preventing further blood loss.
The victim has suffered life-changing injuries with one arm reportedly being amputated, with the other also being removed up to her forearm. Her wounded leg has said to have been saved.
Initially, it was reported the woman lost her hands while attempting to take photos of the shark though this has been denied by eyewitnesses. Police said the attacked happened off Thompson’s Cove Beach at about 10:30am on February 7. Following the horror attack, more than $22,680 CAD (£12,667) has been raised. To view the GoFundMe campaign, click here.
Shark attacks are rare in Turks and Caicos with the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File stating there was only one unprovoked attack last year. The victim, a 22-year-old American was celebrating her graduation from the prestigious Yale University when the attack happened.