A German holidaymaker is attacked by a shark off the Canary Islands. The young woman dies on the way to hospital.
Munich – Shark attacks are rare, but in the worst case scenario they can be fatal for divers and swimmers. Just recently a shark bit off the head and arm of a teenager off the coast of Jamaica. Now a vacationer from Germany has fallen victim to the predator of the seas.
Off the Canary Islands: German holidaymaker fatally injured by shark
The incident occurred on Monday (September 16). According to reports from the Spanish news portal ABC The woman was on a British catamaran in the Atlantic that afternoon. About 500 kilometers south of the Canary Islands off the coast of Western Sahara, she is said to have jumped into the water and been attacked by a shark. The animal reportedly bit off one of the woman’s legs.
The digital newspaper Atlantic Hot reported, citing the Spanish maritime rescue service, that the Spanish authorities initially contacted the authorities in Morocco, but they refused to help because they did not have the necessary resources. The Spanish Air Force was then alerted, which sent a rescue helicopter.
After shark attack: Vacationer from Germany dies on the way to hospital
According to the newspaper The Province In the meantime, a nearby ship is said to have reached the catamaran and provided the injured person with medication. ABC reported that the victim was transported on board the helicopter at around 8 p.m. On the night of Tuesday (September 17), she reached the Doctor Negrín University Hospital in Las Palmas on the Canary Island of Gran Canaria. But all help came too late: she suffered a cardiac arrest during the flight.
It is still unclear which species of shark attacked the holidaymaker and where exactly the German woman came from. Atlantic Hot According to the report, shark attacks are rare in this part of the Atlantic Ocean. Since records began in the 16th century, only seven such attacks have been recorded.
Shark attacks are also rare worldwide. According to researchers from the WWF conservation organization, the reasons for this are not yet entirely clear. It could be that swimmers are mistaken for prey or that the predator is unconsciously provoked. Meanwhile, the attack by an unknown predator is puzzling researchers. (kas/dpa)
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