Shark bites off Canadian woman's hands when she tries to take a photo

A Canadian woman suffered severe injuries when she attempted to take a photo of a shark near a Turks and Caicos beach.

Wading in the shallows, she tried to engage with the shark so she could capture a picture, reports The Daily Mail .

Instead, the shark bit off both of her hands.

The incident occurred at a beach in Blue Hills, Providenciales, on Feb. 7.

Global Affairs Canada is aware of a “Canadian citizen who experienced an accident in Turks and Caicos,” says Charlotte MacLeod, a media relations officer for the department in Ottawa.

“Consular officials are contacting local authorities to gather information and stand ready to provide consular assistance,” she said in an email to the National Post. “Due to privacy considerations, no further details may be disclosed.”

O ne of woman’s hands was amputated at the wrist. The other was severed mid-way down her forearm. 

The victim, reportedly 55 years old, was wading in the shallows when she “attempted to engage” the shark, local authorities said. A man who said he was the woman’s relative said she was able to walk back to shore after the attack. She was bitten in the thigh, he added, but did not lose her leg.

Her husband tried to fight off the shark, witnesses said , as it continued to circle and try to bite the woman again.

The most common sharks implicated in attacks on humans include the great white shark, tiger shark and bull shark, also known as the “Big Three” due to their size and ability to inflict serious injuries.

The shark involved in this incident was estimated to be about six feet in length, but its precise species has not been identified.

Sharks are commonly found in tropical and subtropical waters, which are also popular tourist destinations. People may unintentionally enter areas where sharks are present while swimming or snorkelling. However, shark attacks in the Turks and Caicos Islands are relatively rare. Between 2021 and 2025, there were four reported shark attacks, all non-fatal.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are known for their healthy marine environment, which includes a variety of shark species, but encounters with humans are infrequent, especially at popular beaches.

Its Department of Environment and Coastal Resources advises caution and discourages feeding marine wildlife to minimize the risk of such encounters.

• Why everybody is seeing more sharks off the coast of Nova Scotia
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