Lifestyle
Tourist in Turks and Caicos loses both hands to shark attack while taking selfie
By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)
- 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.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 30%
Center 15%
Right 55%
Bias Summary
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Bias Distribution
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Left
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Untracked Bias
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61 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
61
Leaning Left
10
Center
5
Leaning Right
18
Last Updated
23 hours ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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.
[KENNEDY FELTON]
A Canadian tourist in the Turks and Caicos Islands learned the hard way after a shark bit off both of her hands while she was taking a selfie with it. The unidentified 55-year-old woman was only a few yards into the water when she was attacked. According to The Daily Telegraph, the woman’s husband rushed into the water to try and scare off the shark.
Upon confirmation of the incident, the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) issued a beach closure notification from Thompson’s Cove Beach to Froggies ATV, Blue Hills out of an abundance of caution. The beach was reopened on Sunday, February 9th at 1 p.m. after it was determined that the shark had moved to deeper water. According to a statement by the island’s government, the beach closed for two days out of an abundance of caution and only reopened once officials determined the shark had moved to deeper water. The woman received initial medical care on the island before being transported back to Canada for further treatment.
With rising water temperatures, shark activity near shorelines is expected to increase, which means more close encounters like this one could happen. This attack happened the same day two Florida tourists were attacked in the Bahamas.
Despite recent reports of shark attacks, data from the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File shows that unprovoked attacks actually dropped in 2024, with just 47 reported worldwide, down 21 from the year before.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 30%
Center 15%
Right 55%
Bias Summary
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
Left
+0
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Click to close
Far
Right
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Click to close
61 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
61
Leaning Left
10
Center
5
Leaning Right
18
Last Updated
23 hours ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
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