Woman loses both hands in shark attack in Turks and Caicos after photo fail

A tragic incident occurred on Feb. 7 in Turks and Caicos, where a Canadian tourist had both her hands amputated after being attacked by a shark while snorkeling. The 55-year-old woman was snorkeling off Providenciales when the shark attacked her. The shark, estimated to be around 6 feet in length, approached the woman as she attempted to take photographs of the creature from the shallows.

The woman’s husband bravely rushed into the water to try to get the shark away from his wife, with other bystanders also jumping in to help stop the bleeding. The victim was quickly taken to a local hospital and later flown off the island for further medical care. Tragically, she had to undergo surgery to have both her hands amputated.

The incident led to the closure of the beaches in the area as a precautionary measure, but they were later reopened. The Turks and Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources urged the public to always be aware of their surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life.

This unfortunate event adds to a series of shark attacks reported in the region. Between 2021 and 2025, four people were attacked by sharks in Turks and Caicos, with all victims surviving their encounters. One such incident occurred on May 23, 2024, when a male resident was attacked while snorkeling, resulting in the amputation of his leg above the knee.

In a separate incident on the same day, two American tourists were attacked by a shark at a beach resort in the Bahamas. The tourists were swimming in the waters of Bimini Bay when they were attacked by what appeared to be a bull shark. One woman sustained serious injuries but is expected to make a full recovery.

As investigations into these incidents continue, authorities remind the public to swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and refrain from feeding marine wildlife. The safety of beachgoers and tourists remains a top priority, and precautions are being taken to prevent further shark attacks in the region.