US citizen ‘seriously injured’ after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A 22-year-old woman is in critical condition after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling in Turks and Caicos, police said Wednesday.
In an official statement released on social media, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said the unidentified woman, 22, was from Connecticut, USA.
Additional details from police say he and his friend were snorkeling on Providenciales, the country’s third-largest island, in an area near the Blue Haven resort.
The resort said CBS News The woman was “staying at another resort, on another boat, nowhere near our resort or marina.”
It is not yet clear how the woman and her friend escaped the shark and returned to the beach, but police said a resort employee called police at around 3:07pm local time to request an ambulance. Called
The employee indicated that the victim’s leg had been bitten by a shark, police said.
The injured American was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Center, also on Providenciales, where he remains in what police described as a “critical condition.”
Shark attacks are rare, with only 57 unprovoked shark bites recorded worldwide in 2022, five of which proved fatal, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File.
Experts note that most shark attacks are cases of mistaken identity, such as when a shark mistakes a human for a seal or other prey.
Among safety recommendations, experts advise people to stay close to shore and swim with someone, be careful when swimming at sandbars or drop-offs, don’t wear flashy jewelry or high-contrast clothing, which can tempt sharks, and Avoid open swimming. A wound or sore
He further advised that swimmers should not approach fishing activities where sharks are drawn and avoid murky or cloudy waters, which can hide an approaching shark.
In the event of a shark sighting, it is advised to proceed slowly and calmly towards the shore.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are British overseas territories in the West Indies, consisting of two groups of islands southeast of the Bahamas.