Holidaymakers are being warned to ‘exercise extreme caution’ after a British tourist was seriously hurt in a horror shark attack. The man is fighting for his life after being rushed to an intensive care unit, officials said.

The 64-year-old was wounded on the Caribbean island of Tobago on Friday, April 26. The government of Trinidad and Tobago has shut seven beaches and a marine park in the wake of the mauling.




The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has since updated its advice for British tourists travelling to the area. UK tourists ‘should check and follow the advice of local authorities’, it said.

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The FCDO said: “Following a shark attack on a tourist at Turtle Beach/Courland Bay on April 26, the Tobago authorities have temporarily closed the Buccoo Reef Marine Park (BRMP) until further notice. This closure is effective immediately and applies to all recreational activities, including snorkelling, diving, glass-bottom boat tours, and any other water-based activities within the park boundaries.

“The Tobago authorities strongly advise all beachgoers, fisherfolk, and mariners to exercise extreme caution when operating in the coastal areas surrounding Plymouth, Courland Bay, Black Rock, Mt. Irvine, Buccoo, Pigeon Point, Store Bay, and all areas in between. You should check and follow the advice of local authorities.”

The government said in a statement that shark sightings were reported in the Grafton area and the Buccoo Reef Marine Park. Officials said the closures will allow the Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries to investigate the incident and ‘neutralise the shark threat, if possible’.



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