A 64-year-old British man is in critical condition after a shark attack just 10 meters from the shoreline in Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago.
The victim suffered severe injuries to his left thigh, left arm from the elbow down, and stomach, reportedly caused by a bull shark, according to Farley Chavez Augustine, Tobago’s Chief Secretary. Despite undergoing surgery at Scarborough General Hospital, where some fingers were reattached, the man remains sedated in the ICU. Augustine stated that although stable, he is expected to experience significant pain due to his wounds.
The man, vacationing with his wife and friends, had been scheduled to return to the UK on Friday. The group decided to take a final swim before departure, leading to the unfortunate encounter with the shark.
Eyewitness accounts, including one from Orion Jakerov, water sports manager at the Starfish Resort, described the victim standing in waist-deep to shoulder-high water with his back to the shark. None of them initially noticed the predator’s presence until the attack occurred. Jakerov mentioned that the others in the group attempted to fend off the shark physically.
Authorities estimate the shark to be between eight and 10 feet long. Initially, a reward of $10,000 Trinidad and Tobago Dollars was offered for the capture of the shark, but this bounty was later rescinded by the Tobago House of Assembly.
As a precautionary measure, several beaches in the vicinity, including the Buccoo Reef Marine Park, have been temporarily closed. The British High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago issued travel advisories concerning the incident and the park’s closure.
