A Canadian tourist lost both hands in a shark attack while attempting to take a photo with the animal in the shallow waters of Thompson’s Cove Beach, Turks and Caicos Islands.
The victim, identified as 55-year-old Nathalie Ross, was attacked around 10:30 a.m. on February 7. Reports indicate her husband tried to fight off the shark before she was brought to shore.
Images from the scene show Ross lying on the beach as bystanders, including her husband, attempted to stop the bleeding. According to Magnetic Media, she also sustained a bite on her thigh.
She was airlifted to a hospital and is expected to survive. The government of the Turks and Caicos Islands stated that Ross had tried to “engage” with the shark to take a photograph. Officials estimate the shark to be around six feet long, but its species remains unidentified.
Following the attack, authorities closed the beach until February 9 after confirming that the shark had moved into deeper waters. Footage circulating online shows a shark thrashing near the attack site.
