British Tourist Suffers Severe Injuries in Bull Shark Attack off Tobago, Seven Beaches and Marine Park Closed

A British tourist named Peter Smith has suffered severe injuries after being attacked by an 8-10 foot bull shark while swimming waist-deep in the Caribbean sea near Courland Bay on Tobago. The attack took place around 9:15 am local time on Friday, April 26th, just 30 feet from shore. Smith lost his left hand at the elbow and also had a severed left thigh as well as lacerations to his stomach in the terrifying encounter. Trinidad and Tobago’s government has responded by closing seven beaches and a marine park following the attack. The Chief Secretary of Tobago House of Assembly (THA), Farley Augustine, said that officials were closely monitoring the area after speaking with both the British High Commissioner and the Coast Guard. He added that drone reconnaissance/surveillance, Coast Guard surveillance, and Department of Fisheries combing operations are currently underway to ensure safety in the vicinity where Smith was attacked by the bull shark, which is approximately 2 feet wide according to eyewitnesses. Shark attacks remain relatively rare; last year saw a total of 69 unprovoked incidents worldwide along with 14 fatalities recorded by Florida-based International Shark Attack File (ISAF).