Brit tourist mauled by shark has fingers reattached as bounty put on beast

British tourist survives traumatic shark attack in Tobago, needing fingers surgically reattached and extensive work on his leg. Stay updated with Daily Star.

A British tourist had a harrowing experience with a shark attack in the Caribbean, requiring surgery to reattach his fingers and extensive work on one of his legs. The 64-year-old man from Hertfordshire is currently in intensive care after the terrifying incident occurred just 10 meters from the shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay, Tobago. The attack, which took place early on a Friday morning, resulted in injuries to his left hand, left thigh, and abdomen.

The bull shark responsible for the attack was estimated to be between eight to ten feet long and two feet wide, according to the Tobago House of Assembly. A bounty was initially put out to capture the shark, reminiscent of the famous shark movie, Jaws.

Farley Augustine, Chief Secretary, revealed in a Facebook press conference that the victim was on holiday with his wife and friends and had planned to return home that day. Despite the severity of his injuries, the man is stable and recovering at Scarborough General Hospital's Intensive Care Unit. Surgeons were able to reattach some of his fingers and are working on the wounds on his leg.

The local government is providing support to the victim's family, offering accommodation and meals until he is fit to return to the United Kingdom. Beaches and coastal areas have been closed as a precaution, and a previous bounty on the shark was retracted. The British High Commission is also involved in the case.

Shark attacks are relatively rare, with 69 unprovoked attacks and 22 provoked bites reported worldwide last year, resulting in 14 fatalities, according to the International Shark Attack File based in Florida. Stay updated on the latest news and stories from around the world by signing up for the Daily Star newsletter.