A British man has received serious injuries after being attacked by what was thought to be a bull shark, in the waters off Courland Bay on the northern coast of the Caribbean island of Tobago, according to media reports.

Published 6 months ago

Beaches closed following Shark Attack

The British tourist was standing thigh-deep in the sea off Turtle Beach/ Courland Bay, in the north of Tobago, with a group when he was attacked by the shark.

Following the incident which occurred on April 26, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary Farley Augustine closed off beach areas to the public, with no bathing or beach activities allowed in the area.

Mr Augustine said his office has been receiving notices of shark sightings in the Grafton Area and therefore  “out of an abundance of caution we are forced to temporarily close beaches including Plymouth, Courland Bay, Black Rock, Mt. Irvine, Buccoo, Pigeon Point, Store Bay and all coastal areas in between,” Mr Augustine said.

“Fisherfolk and mariners should exercise caution when operating in these areas.  Currently, we are doing drone reconnaissance/surveillance, Coast Guard surveillance and the Department of Fisheries is combing the area to ensure safety.”

This stretch of water includes a marine park surrounding the Bucco Reef, one of the island’s largest coral reefs and a popular tourist attraction.

Officials said the closures would remain in place for several days.  Visitors are encouraged to visit www.tobagobeyond.com and follow @visittobago on social media for updates and information regarding the re-opening of affected beaches.

Two attacks in 20 years

According to the International Shark Attack File database, the vast majority of shark attacks in the region occur further north, in the central Caribbean and off the eastern and southern coasts of the US.
In the last 20 years, there have been only two recorded shark attacks as far south as Tobago, and neither was within 200 miles of the island itself.  Tobago is the smaller of the two islands of Trinidad and Tobago and is located in the southern Caribbean about 120km from the South American coast.

Bull sharks are known to be aggressive and are most often found in shallow waters along tropical coastlines, making them – along with great white and tiger sharks – among the species most likely to come into contact with, and attack, humans.

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Related News:

• British National Attacked by Shark in Tobago (Loop News)
• Tobago Shark Attack:  British Man Injured 10Metres from Shore (BBC News UK)
• Tobago Shark Attack:  Temporary Beach Closure (Tobago Tourism)

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Related Links:

• Unprovoked Shark Attack Interactive Map (Florida Museum)
• International Shark Attack File (Florida Museum)

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