27 April 2024 , 09:34
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A Brit has had his fingers “reattached” while “extensive work” is needed on one of his legs as he remains in intensive care after a shark attack in the Caribbean.
The man, identified by local officials as a 64-year-old from Hertfordshire, was savaged 10 metres off the shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, on the north coast of Tobago on Friday morning. He sustained injuries to his left hand, left thigh, and stomach following the attack involving a bull shark estimated to be eight to 10 ft long and two ft wide, the Tobago House of Assembly said.
Chief Secretary Farley Augustine said in a Facebook press briefing on Friday evening that the man had been holidaying on the island with his wife and friends and had been due to fly home that day. Mr Augustine said the man was stable and “doing well”, but remained in an intensive care unit and kept under sedation at Scarborough General Hospital.
He went on: “Some reattachments were done, of fingers for example, and hopefully that will save those fingers. We know that there’s significant wounds on one of his legs that cannot be completely closed, but he will require extensive work. The task at this time for our health professionals is really to stabilise and ensure that we can save life and limb as much as possible.”
“And the extensive work that is required will happen, subsequently but we are happy to say that he is stable and is doing well and we expect him to recover from the incident.” He said he told the victim's wife: “I emphasise with you on behalf of the island of Tobago and share with her that we will be by their side throughout this ordeal.
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“Immediately the THA (Tobago House of Assembly) sought to provide accommodation and meals for the family until such time, as the husband is safe for return to United Kingdom. Because as I indicated, they were scheduled to leave Tobago today. This was his last swim before departing Tobago to the United Kingdom and it’s regrettable that this happened on his very last day vacationing on island. "
Mr Augustine added that the local government was working closely with the British High Commission. Several beaches and coastal areas have been closed while a 10,000 US dollar (£1,179) bounty previously offered to anyone who could capture the shark was later retracted. Last year, there were 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, along with 14 fatalities, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File.