The type of shark involved in the attack was not immediately clear.
A 44-year-old newlywed was killed in a shark attack the day after her wedding while paddleboarding in the Bahamas, the Independent reported. The woman, who was from Boston, got married on Sunday and was paddleboarding with a male relative in the Bahamas when she was attacked on Monday. Authorities haven’t released the woman’s identity.
Witnesses told local outlets the woman had just gotten married and that the man she was paddleboarding with was her groom. However, police were unable to immediately confirm if the pair were newlyweds.
”Shortly after 11.15 am, police were notified that a female visitor from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, was subsequently attacked by a shark. According to initial reports, the female – along with a male relative – were paddleboarding just at the rear of a resort in western Providence, some 3/4 miles out from the shoreline, when she was bitten by the shark,” Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement.
The police said both people were rescued by a lifeguard with a boat who saw what was happening. “CPR was administered to the victim. However, she suffered serious injuries to the right side of her body, including the right hip region and also her right upper limb,” police sergeant Desiree Ferguson said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and her body was carried off the beach.
The attack took place near the Sandles resort on Cable Beach.
”We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a guest while on a paddleboarding activity nearly a mile from the shore. We wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the guest’s family and loved ones. We remain in close contact with them and are providing all support possible during this difficult time,” Sandals Resorts said in a statement.
The Bahamas, an archipelago of more than 3,000 islands, is home to several beach resorts and counts tourism as a major part of its economy.
Notably, fatal shark attacks are rare, with only an average of five to six reported worldwide a year, most of them occurring in Australia. The Bahamas has seen 33 unprovoked shark attacks since 1749, according to data from the International Shark Attack File. Last year, there were a total of 57 unprovoked bites around the globe, the majority of them in the US.
The incident comes just two days after a 26-year-old woman died after a shark tore off her leg while she was swimming off a Mexican beach, Metro reported. The attack occurred on Saturday, a short distance from the beach in Melaque when the woman was swimming with her daughter. Despite the quick response by rescuers, she died from blood loss from the massive bite wound on her leg. However, her daughter was miraculously saved.