Canadian tourist Nathalie Ross, 55, is recovering in Canada after a shark attack in the Turks and Caicos Islands that resulted in the loss of both her hands and a chunk of her thigh. The incident occurred on February 7 at approximately 10:30 a.m. local time in the waters off Thompson's Cove Beach, near Blue Hills, Providenciales.
According to local authorities, Ross was swimming in shallow waters when she spotted a shark and attempted to engage with it to take photographs. "The tourist had ventured into the shallows and attempted to engage with the estimated 6-foot shark, whose species remains unconfirmed, in an effort to capture photographs," stated the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), as reported by Fox Weather.
Witnesses reported that a shark approximately six feet in length had been swimming nearby for around 40 minutes before the attack. As Ross approached the animal, it attacked, severing one of her hands at the wrist and the other midway down her forearm. The shark also bit into her thigh, though she did not lose her leg.
Her husband, who was on the beach at the time, entered the water to fight off the shark as it circled around her. "Her husband bravely tried to prevent the shark from biting her again as it circled around her," eyewitnesses reported, according to The Sun. Despite his efforts, the attack left Ross with life-threatening injuries.
Images captured the aftermath, showing Ross lying on the beach while her husband and bystanders tried to stem the bleeding from her wounds using towels and available materials. Bystanders applied cloths to her arms to stop the bleeding while awaiting medical assistance.
Ross was transported to Cheshire Hall Medical Center, where medical personnel worked to stabilize her condition. "Medical personnel and the police were dispatched to the given location in Blue Hills, Providenciales," stated the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. She was later flown back to Canada for further medical care. Despite the severity of her injuries, she is expected to survive.
Following the incident, authorities temporarily closed Thompson's Cove Beach as a precautionary measure. The DECR conducted an investigation, revealing that Ross had attempted to engage with the shark from the shallows to capture photographs. After it was determined that the shark had moved on to deeper waters, the affected stretch of coastline was reopened on February 9.
The DECR urged the public to always be aware of their surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life. "Swimmers should only be in designated zones, avoid murky water, never swim alone, and never try to feed marine wildlife," reminded the DECR, according to Fox Weather. They emphasized the importance of adhering to safety guidelines to prevent such incidents.
The waters around the Turks and Caicos Islands are home to numerous types of sharks, including grey reef sharks, nurse sharks, tiger sharks, bull sharks, hammerhead sharks, and reef sharks, according to Visit Turks & Caicos Islands. While sharks are generally rare at popular beaches, swimmers are advised to exercise caution when entering the water.
"Witnesses reported that the woman's family was close by during the attack, watching in horror from the beach as her husband tried to protect her," according to Mirror.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq