A 64-year-old British man is currently in critical care after being attacked by a shark just 10 meters from the shore in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago. The incident, which occurred on Friday morning local time, left the man with severe injuries.
According to Farley Chavez Augustine, the Chief Secretary of Tobago, the victim's left thigh and left arm from the elbow down were severed, and his stomach was lacerated. Despite the extent of his injuries, some of his fingers were successfully reattached after undergoing surgery at Scarborough General Hospital.
Augustine provided an update on the man's condition, stating that he is currently stable and doing well in the ICU, although he remains sedated due to the significant pain from his wounds. The victim, who was vacationing in Tobago with his wife and friends, was scheduled to return to the United Kingdom on the same day as the attack.
Witnesses described the harrowing incident, with Orion Jakerov, a water sports manager at the Starfish Resort, recounting that the man was in waist-deep to shoulder-high water when the shark attacked. Jakerov mentioned that the group accompanying the victim attempted to physically fight off the shark after the initial attack.
The shark, believed to be a bull shark measuring between eight and 10 feet long, prompted authorities to temporarily close several beaches in the area, including the Buccoo Reef Marine Park. The Tobago House of Assembly initially offered a reward for the capture of the shark but later retracted the bounty.
As a precautionary measure, the British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago issued travel guidance related to the incident, highlighting the closure of the marine park and advising caution to visitors in the region.
