Shark attack horror: German tourist survives Thai beach ordeal
A 57-year-old tourist from Germany was attacked by a shark on a beach in Thailand. The woman was swimming in the sea when the animal bit her leg. She survived but sustained severe injuries.
9:03 AM EST, December 2, 2024
According to "Bild," the German woman was on vacation in the Thai city of Phang Nga. She was swimming in the sea near the hotel where she was staying. The shark sank its teeth into the 57-year-old woman's calf.
Witnesses helped the seriously injured tourist out of the water. They reported that she was bleeding and screaming in pain. According to the newspaper, she was taken to a local hospital.
She had an open wound 12 inches long and was then transferred to a larger facility in Phuket, where she underwent surgery. Thai media reported that the attacked tourists were feeling well.
Siwat Rawangkun, the district chief, told the thai.news portal that the beach is safe, and an investigation is ongoing. Marine experts have been called in to determine whether it was truly a shark attack or possibly another animal.
Local authorities claim that incidents related to shark attacks are incredibly rare. According to "Bild," a decision was made to post a warning sign reading: "Beware of harmful and venomous marine creatures."
According to the "Royal Vacation" portal, shark attacks in Thailand rarely occur. They are sporadic. In 2022, an 8-year-old boy was attacked. Similarly, in 2020, a 75-year-old man from Germany fell victim. The predator targeted the legs of its victims. In recent weeks, the media also reported a shark attack in the Canary Islands. The animal attacked a German woman while she was sailing a catamaran. The 30-year-old lost her leg and then died on the way to the hospital.
The newspaper, citing statistics from the International Shark Attack File, reports that shark attacks have recently increased. There were 226 incidents 40 years ago, 500 in the 1990s, and 800 from 2010 to 2019.
