British tourist ‘devastated by shark’ fighting for his life after Caribbean attack

A British tourist is fighting for his life in intensive care after a horrific shark attack off the coast of a Caribbean island. The 64-year-old man from Hertfordshire was attacked just 10 meters from shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, on Tobago’s north coast, on Friday morning.

According to the Tobago House of Assembly, he suffered serious injuries to his left hand, left thigh and stomach during the encounter with a bull shark estimated to be 2.5 to 3 meters long and 6.5 meters wide.

Chief Secretary Farley Augustine revealed in a Facebook press conference on Friday evening that the man was holidaying on the island with his wife and friends and would be flying home that day. Mr Augustine confirmed the man was stable and “doing well” but remained sedated in the intensive care unit at Scarborough General Hospital.

He continued: “There have been some reattachments, of fingers for example, and hopefully that will save those fingers. We know there are significant wounds on one of his legs that cannot be completely closed, but he will need a lot of work.

“The task right now for our health care workers is really to stabilize and ensure that we can save lives and limbs as much as possible.”

Mr Augustine also stated that the local government was working closely with the British High Commission. Several beaches and coastal areas have now been closed.

A previously offered bounty of $10,000 (£1,179) for anyone who could catch the shark was later withdrawn.

According to the International Shark Attack File, based in Florida, there were 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide last year, along with 14 fatalities.

Don’t miss the latest news from Scotland and beyond. Sign up here for our daily newsletter.