Rare shark attack kills tourist in St Martin
A tourist has died in a rare shark attack in the Eastern Caribbean.
A 39-year-old female French tourist was killed after a shark tore off her leg just 500 feet from a popular beach in St Martin.
Officials ordered a halt to all swimming and water sports at beaches in St. Martin.
Government spokesman Alain Rioual told The Associated Press it is only second ever shark attack and the first fatal one ever recorded.
The attack took place at Orient Bay, which is a popular beach.
Gavin Naylor, Director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, told the AP St Martin is a very unusual location for a shark attack.
The program has reported 34 unprovoked attacks in the Caribbean since 2000, with most in and around the Bahamas.
In a press briefing, government officials say it is unclear whether the decline in tourist numbers and restrictions on water sports activities was a factor, or whether it has made a shark attack more likely.
Written by Ray Montgomery, US Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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