Unbiased. Straight Facts.TM

Watch and Listen

Tourist in Turks and Caicos loses both hands to shark attack while taking selfie

Kennedy Felton, Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

Full story

  • A Canadian tourist lost both hands after a shark attacked her while taking a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The woman’s husband tried to scare off the shark but was unsuccessful.
  • The incident led to a temporary beach closure in the area. The beach reopened after the shark moved to deeper water.
  • Shark attacks are expected to rise as water temperatures increase, despite data showing a decline in unprovoked attacks in 2024.

Full Story

A Canadian tourist lost both hands after a shark attacked her while she was taking a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The shark attacked the 55-year-old woman when she was only a few yards into the water.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the woman’s husband rushed into the water. He intended to scare off the shark. However, the shark had already inflicted severe injuries.

Following the incident, the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) issued a beach closure from Thompson’s Cove Beach to Froggies ATV in Blue Hills. Officials confirmed the closure was out of an abundance of caution.

“The beach was reopened on Sunday, February 9, at 1 p.m. after it was determined that the shark had moved to deeper water,” the government stated on Facebook.

Paramedics took the woman to a local medical facility for emergency treatment. She then returned to Canada for further care.

Shark attacks expected to rise

Shark activity near shorelines is expected to increase as water temperatures rise. Warmer waters bring sharks and other marine wildlife closer to beaches, increasing the risk of encounters.

A shark bit two Florida tourists in the Bahamas on the same day as this attack.

Data shows a decline in shark attacks

Despite recent reports of shark attacks, data from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File shows that unprovoked attacks dropped in 2024.

There were 47 unprovoked attacks worldwide last year, a decrease of 21 from 2023.

Related Stories

Tags: , , , ,

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left express the incident defensively by emphasizing the woman's actions that led to the attack, labeling them as "reckless."
  • Media outlets in the center highlight her struggle for survival, focusing on the husband's actions and the attention from witnesses, which incites empathy.
  • Media outlets on the right emphasize the necessity of marine safety guidelines and portray the woman as a victim of circumstance.

Report an issue with this comparison

Media landscape

Click on bars to see headlines

61 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • A 55-year-old woman from Canada lost both of her hands due to a shark attack while attempting to take a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Feb. 12.
  • The shark, reported to be about six feet long, attacked her while she was in shallow water near Blue Hills.
  • The woman was taken to a local hospital and later airlifted to another medical center, where one of her hands was amputated at the wrist and the other was severed midway down her forearm.
  • Chris Stefanou, a conservationist, suggested that the shark may have mistaken her phone for bait fish.

Report an issue with this summary

Key points from the Center

  • A 55-year-old Canadian woman lost both hands in a shark attack while trying to take a selfie off Thompson Cove Beach in Turks and Caicos Islands last week, according to a report by the New Zealand Herald.
  • The woman attempted to engage a 6-foot tiger shark, which resulted in severe injuries requiring amputation of one hand below the wrist and the other arm severed midway up the forearm.
  • Her husband managed to scare off the shark while other sunbathers used their clothes to stop her bleeding, as reported by witnesses.
  • This incident marks the second case of a Canadian citizen losing a limb at Turks and Caicos Islands in the past year.

Report an issue with this summary

Key points from the Right

  • A Canadian woman lost both hands in a shark attack while snorkeling near the Turks and Caicos on Feb. 7.
  • Her husband fought off the shark, and despite her severe injuries, she managed to reach the beach.
  • Local authorities reported that the shark was approximately 1.8 meters long and continued to circle in the shallows after the attack.
  • Beaches in the area were temporarily closed for safety, and officials urged the public to respect marine wildlife and adhere to swimming guidelines.

Report an issue with this summary

Other (sources without bias rating):

Powered by Ground News™

Full story

  • A Canadian tourist lost both hands after a shark attacked her while taking a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The woman’s husband tried to scare off the shark but was unsuccessful.
  • The incident led to a temporary beach closure in the area. The beach reopened after the shark moved to deeper water.
  • Shark attacks are expected to rise as water temperatures increase, despite data showing a decline in unprovoked attacks in 2024.

Full Story

A Canadian tourist lost both hands after a shark attacked her while she was taking a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The shark attacked the 55-year-old woman when she was only a few yards into the water.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the woman’s husband rushed into the water. He intended to scare off the shark. However, the shark had already inflicted severe injuries.

Following the incident, the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) issued a beach closure from Thompson’s Cove Beach to Froggies ATV in Blue Hills. Officials confirmed the closure was out of an abundance of caution.

“The beach was reopened on Sunday, February 9, at 1 p.m. after it was determined that the shark had moved to deeper water,” the government stated on Facebook.

Paramedics took the woman to a local medical facility for emergency treatment. She then returned to Canada for further care.

Shark attacks expected to rise

Shark activity near shorelines is expected to increase as water temperatures rise. Warmer waters bring sharks and other marine wildlife closer to beaches, increasing the risk of encounters.

A shark bit two Florida tourists in the Bahamas on the same day as this attack.

Data shows a decline in shark attacks

Despite recent reports of shark attacks, data from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File shows that unprovoked attacks dropped in 2024.

There were 47 unprovoked attacks worldwide last year, a decrease of 21 from 2023.

Related Stories

Tags: , , , ,
Read Transcript

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left express the incident defensively by emphasizing the woman's actions that led to the attack, labeling them as "reckless."
  • Media outlets in the center highlight her struggle for survival, focusing on the husband's actions and the attention from witnesses, which incites empathy.
  • Media outlets on the right emphasize the necessity of marine safety guidelines and portray the woman as a victim of circumstance.

Report an issue with this comparison

Media landscape

Click on bars to see headlines

61 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • A 55-year-old woman from Canada lost both of her hands due to a shark attack while attempting to take a selfie in the Turks and Caicos Islands on Feb. 12.
  • The shark, reported to be about six feet long, attacked her while she was in shallow water near Blue Hills.
  • The woman was taken to a local hospital and later airlifted to another medical center, where one of her hands was amputated at the wrist and the other was severed midway down her forearm.
  • Chris Stefanou, a conservationist, suggested that the shark may have mistaken her phone for bait fish.

Report an issue with this summary

Key points from the Center

  • A 55-year-old Canadian woman lost both hands in a shark attack while trying to take a selfie off Thompson Cove Beach in Turks and Caicos Islands last week, according to a report by the New Zealand Herald.
  • The woman attempted to engage a 6-foot tiger shark, which resulted in severe injuries requiring amputation of one hand below the wrist and the other arm severed midway up the forearm.
  • Her husband managed to scare off the shark while other sunbathers used their clothes to stop her bleeding, as reported by witnesses.
  • This incident marks the second case of a Canadian citizen losing a limb at Turks and Caicos Islands in the past year.

Report an issue with this summary

Key points from the Right

  • A Canadian woman lost both hands in a shark attack while snorkeling near the Turks and Caicos on Feb. 7.
  • Her husband fought off the shark, and despite her severe injuries, she managed to reach the beach.
  • Local authorities reported that the shark was approximately 1.8 meters long and continued to circle in the shallows after the attack.
  • Beaches in the area were temporarily closed for safety, and officials urged the public to respect marine wildlife and adhere to swimming guidelines.

Report an issue with this summary

Other (sources without bias rating):

Powered by Ground News™