Family of woman whose hands were bitten off by shark reveal 'nightmare' after husband fought off '7ft' predator

18 February 2025, 06:03

The family of a woman who lost both of her hands following a savage shark attack while on holiday in the Caribbean have revealed details of the "nightmare" ordeal.

The brother-in-law of the Canadian woman has described how her partner "wrestled" the predator away after it clamped its jaws around her forearms during the savage attack in the Turks and Caicos islands.

The woman lost part of her thigh in the attack, as well as both hands, with a shocking image showing her lying on the beach, as family attempt to stem the bleeding.

Describing the incident, Al Chevarie, the brother-in-law of the 55-year-old victim, recounted how the "seven-foot bull shark came at my sister-in-law and bumped into her legs" moments before the attack.

Mr Chevarie shared horrifying details on a GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for the victim's medical treatment.

Recounting how the incident "completely altered their life in the blink of an eye", he explained that the bull shark then "circled around and bit her thigh".

"Not satisfied, the shark came back again and when she put both hands in front of her to protect herself, the shark cut off both of her hands, one at mid forearm and the other at the wrist."

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"Her husband, having rushed back to help, then managed to wrestle away the shark and stayed between her and the shark until she walked out of the water and collapsed on the beach."

Dramatic images of the woman lying on the beach shortly after the attack show a group of people gathered around her as they attempt to stem the flow of bleeding.

Her brother-in-law revealed was "transported to a local hospital for initial treatment but had to be flown back to Canada by air ambulance to undergo further surgery and recovery".

Following the incident, local police said: "At 10:33 am today (07th February), the Police Control Room of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force received a report that a female visitor had been injured while swimming. 

"Medical personnel and the police were dispatched to the given location in Blue Hills, Providenciales.

"The 55-year-old victim was brought ashore and rushed to the Cheshire Hall Medical Center for Treatment."

The fundraiser, which has now raised more than $22,000 Canadian Dollars, aims to assist the victim's husband, Mr Chevarie, with any the support required.

Appealing for donations, Mr Chevarie revealed: "My brother served our country in the Canadian Armed forces for over 30 years with tours in Kuwait, twice in Afghanistan, Golan Heights, Haiti and Bosnia. He served our country with pride; it’s our turn to help them.

"This is something that has completely altered their life in the blink of an eye.

"I ask, if you can, to please help them; they will need a lot of support to get through this. Any and all contributions will be greatly appreciated."

The Turks and Caicos Department and Coastal Resources also confirmed the shark attack and urged swimmers to enjoy the water safely.

They said: "The DECR can confirm that a shark incident took place earlier today, 7 February 2025, in the waters adjacent to Thompson’s Cove and Blue Hills.

"The public is advised to remain out of the ocean until the all-clear has been issued by the DECR."

In a separate statement, the department added: "Stay safe in the water! Always be aware of your surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life.

"Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, and never swim alone."

Sharks are quite common in Turks and Caicos and four people have been attacked since 2021, including the recent incident, according to the country's tourism authority.

All survived but one had to have his leg amputated above the knee, while another had her foot bitten off. The fourth victim was bitten on the wrist.

The reason for the shark attacks is not entirely clear, but authorities said: "Notably, there are far more people swimming in the Turks and Caicos today than there were in the past.

"It’s also possible that overfishing may be disturbing the natural marine food chain."