Tourist loses both hands while snorkeling in Turks and Caicos after shark attacks during failed photo op

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A Canadian tourist had both her hands amputated after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling on vacation in Turks and Caicos when she attempted to get a photo with the creature.

The incident happened on Feb. 7, when officials with the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) said the 55-year-old woman was snorkeling off Providenciales, the main island in the archipelago, when she was attacked by a shark.

Officials said the shark was estimated to be approximately 6 feet in length. However, the species is yet to be confirmed.

An investigation revealed that the woman had “attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs.”

AMERICAN TOURISTS FELT ‘NUDGE’ BEFORE SHARK ATTACK AT POPULAR BAHAMAS RESORT

Tourist loses both hands trying to take photo with shark in Turks and Caicos

The woman’s horrified husband quickly rushed into the water to attempt to get the shark away from his wife, the New Zealand Herald reported.

Other terrified bystanders also jumped in to help the woman and try to stop the bleeding. 

She was rushed to a local hospital and later flown off the island for further medical care, officials said.

AMERICAN TOURISTS ATTACKED BY SHARK AT LUXE BAHAMAS RESORT AREA

Aerial view on Turks and Caicos Islands

The victim, who was not identified, had to have both her hands amputated, according to the Visit Turks and Caicos Island website.

The beaches in the area were closed “in an abundance of caution,” but later reopened on Sunday, officials said.

“The DECR would like to urge the public to always be aware of your surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life,” officials said in a statement on their Facebook page.

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A shark attack sign is posted at the Sand Dollar Beach section of Manresa State Beach in Watsonville, Calif., after a surfer was killed by a shark earlier Saturday, May 9, 2020. (Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images)

“Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and do not attempt to feed marine wildlife under any circumstances.”

Between 2021 and 2025, four people were reported to have been attacked by sharks, and that all victims survived those attacks, according to the Visit Turks and Caicos Island website. 

The website reported that one of the incidents happened on May 23, 2024, when a male resident was snorkeling at Leeward Reef off the northeast coast of Providenciales when he was attacked by a shark. As a result of the attack, officials said the male had to have his leg amputated above the knee.

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The attack comes as another shark attack was reported on the same day when two American tourists were attacked by a shark hours after arriving at a popular beach resort in the Bahamas.

Authorities said the tourists were attacked by what appeared to be a bull shark, leaving one woman with serious injuries, while swimming in the waters of Bimini Bay. 

The incident remains under investigation, and both women are expected to make a full recovery. 

Fox News Digital’s Mollie Markowitz, Julia Bonavite and Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com