Italian tourist killed in horror shark attack in Caribbean

Italian tourist, 56, is killed in horror shark attack in the Caribbean after being bitten in the leg by 8ft beast as he snorkelled near to beach

• Antonio Straccialini died after being bitten by what is thought to be a tiger shark
• It is thought to be the first shark attack on the Colombian island of San Andres
• The 56-year-old died after suffering severe blood loss in the attack on Friday

An Italian tourist has died after being bitten by a horrifying shark attack in the waters off a beautiful Caribbean island. 

The man, who was named by local press as Antonio Roseto Degli Abruzzi, but has since been named in Italy as Antonio Straccialini, was attacked by the 8ft beast as he snorkelled in the coast off the Colombian island of San Andres.

The 56-year-old, who hailed from the Roseto degli Abruzzi on the east coast of central Italy, was bitten in the thigh in a popular snorkelling area called La Piscinita on Friday, March 18.

Graphic images published by local press and on social media showed him lying on his back after the attack with blood dripping from his wound before he was taken to hospital.

He went into shock shortly after the attack due to blood loss, and later died.

Antonio Straccialini was killed after being attacked by a shark on the island of San Andres, in Colombia

It is thought the 56-year-old was bitten by a tiger shark, like the one that is pictured above

The incident has been described as a first in an area which is packed with hotels and diving centres and is regarded as one of the best places to snorkel on the island.

An island government spokesman said: ‘There are diving programmes with professionals in which sharks pass nearby, but nothing has ever happened.’

Diving instructor Mirla Zambrano, 50, added: ‘We are all very surprised. It’s the fist time a shark has attacked a tourist in San Andres.’

The attack has been blamed on a tiger shark, second only to the great white in recorded fatal incidents involving humans although they are still exceedingly rare.

Mr Straccialini was snorkelling at La Piscinita, a popular swimming spot on the island of San Andres

Videos circulating on social media show the two mostly nocturnal hunters thought to have been involved in Friday’s incident swimming in the transparent water where the Italian holidaymaker lost his life.

Marine biologist Rodrigo Lopez said: ‘People are very worried about what’s happened and they’re not letting people go into the water.

‘A witness said the man who was attacked was a good swimmer and had been in the sea for quite a while and when he went further out a second time after coming back towards the shore, began to shout out for help and was surrounded by blood.’

 Mauricio Valdonado, who risked his own life swimming out to bring the tourist back to shore, added: ‘He was on his own.’

La Piscinita, which in English is Little Swimming Pool, gets its name from the calm water and the rock formation which makes it look like a natural pool locked in cliffs.

Visitors describe it on Tripadvisor as a ‘great place to swim with the fish.’

One said after a recent trip: ‘A wonderful place. Very crystal-clear and warm water, a good spot to jump in and enjoy a moment in the water.’

San Andres, around 470 miles north of the Colombian mainland, is part of Colombia but has been historically tied to the UK.

Tiger sharks, which have a reputation as man-eaters, can be recognised by the distinctive stripes on their back (file photo)

English settlers coming from Barbados and England settled in San Andres and the neighbouring island of Providence in the 17th century.

Welsh privateer Sir Henry Morgan used it in 1670 as one of the centres of his operations.

After a failed Spanish invasion of the islands in 1635, they were controlled by England until 1787. 

THE TIGER SHARK

Tiger sharks are named for the dark, vertical stripes that are mainly found on juvenile sharks 

The large, blunt-nosed predators have a reputation as man-eaters 

The tiger shark is second only to great whites in frequency of attacks on people 

They are less likely to let go after biting a human as their palates are near completely undiscerning 

Scavengers by nature, tiger sharks have an almost limitless menu of diet items including fish, seals, birds and dolphins 

They have sharp, teeth and powerful jaws that allow them to crack the shells on sea turtles and clams 

Tiger sharks are common in tropical and sub-tropical waters around the world 

They can grow up to as much as 5 metres in length and weigh more than 635kg

They are listed as near-threatened 

Source: National Geographic  

Source: Read Full Article