Horror shark attack leaves Brit tourist, 64, fighting for his life: Holidaymaker 'loses an arm and a leg' after being mauled while swimming in Tobago
- Victim named locally as Peter Smith, 64, of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
- Witnesses say they saw a bull shark measuring 10 feet long and two feet wide
- Did you witness what happened? Email fran.wolfisz@dailymail.co.uk
A 64-year-old British tourist has been left fighting for his life after enduring a vicious shark attack while swimming in the sea in Tobago.
The horrific incident, which happened close to the shore on Turtle Beach, on the southwestern edge of the island, resulted in the tourist receiving several serious injuries, including 'losing an arm and a leg'.
He also received a laceration to his stomach, The Mirror reports.
The victim has been named locally as Peter Smith of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire and he is currently in serious condition at Scarborough General Hospital, The Telegraph reports.
Witnesses believe a bull shark, measuring up to ten feet long and two feet in width, approached Mr Smith just 10 metres away from the shore in waist-deep water close to the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay around 9am on Friday morning.
A 64-year-old British tourist has been left fighting for his life after enduring a vicious attack by a bull shark while swimming in the sea in Tobago on Friday morning (file pic)
The incident occurred close to the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, with the victim being named locally as Peter Smith, 64, of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
Speaking to Tobago Channel 5, witness Stephanie Wright, from West Sussex, said: 'We saw some people on the beach, and I originally thought the gentleman had had a cardiac arrest, and I thought they were helping him.
'And then I saw someone running down with a towel, and then I saw a dorsal fin come out of the water and thought, "Oh my God, it's a shark."
'As it turned, I saw the tail come out as well'.
Authorities have temporarily closed off Turtle Beach and Courland Bay, as well as six other beaches in the area, as well as prohibiting reef tours and scuba diving as a precaution.
In a statement posted to social media, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine - who is equivalent to the Prime Minister of Tobago - said: 'Out of an abundance of caution (for the remaining portions of today), we are forced to temporarily close beaches: Plymouth, Courland Bay, Black Rock, Mt. Irvine, Buccoo, Pigeon Point, Store Bay and all coastal areas in between,' he wrote in a Facebook post.
'Currently, we are doing drone reconnaissance/surveillance, Coast Guard surveillance, and the Department of Fisheries is combing the area to ensure safety.'
Bull sharks, which can be found in both fresh and salt water, are known to be one of the more aggressive types of shark and are responsible for the majority of incidents recorded close to shorelines.
They are one of three shark species, alongside tiger and great white that are the most likely to attack humans.
Shark attacks are however rare. Last year, there were 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, along with 14 fatalities, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File.
The horrific incident, which happened close to the shore on Turtle Beach, on the southwestern edge of the island, resulted in the tourist receiving several serious injuries, including 'losing an arm and a leg'.
