'BLOOD EVERYWHERE': Snorkeler 'screams for help' after BLUE SHARK bit her leg in 'extremely rare attack'
A snorkeler, who has not been identified, suffered a leg injury after reportedly being bitten by a blue shark off the coast of Cornwall in southwestern England. As per reports, the attack took place on July 28 near Penzance.
The unidentified woman was snorkeling with sharks on an organized trip out of Cornwall when the horrifying incident took place. According to CNN, the attack is believed to be the first of this kind in British waters since 1874, shows the record by the UK-based charity, Shark Trust. The report further stated the statement made by the spokesperson from the Maritime Coastguard Agency, who said, "HM Coastguard sent Penzance Coastguard Rescue Team to meet a snorkeler who suffered a suspected shark bite. The coastguard was notified just before 12.30 pm on Thursday (July 28). It is believed the swimmer suffered a leg injury. The coastguard team met the casualty at Penzance harbour to assist with passing them into the care of the ambulance service." According to Daily Mail, a witness said the victim may have required minor plastic surgery. The report further stated that the woman was left "screaming for help" while a few witnesses told she let out piercing screams, adding that there was "blood everywhere."
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Blue Shark Snorkel Trips, which organized the tour, said in a statement on Facebook that "these occurrences are extremely rare and can be easily misunderstood." It further read, "As we know, these things can happen when we choose to interact with wild animals in their own environment. The last thing we want is to let speculation drive the media into a world of bad press for the sharks, under no fault of their own. We immediately enacted our emergency response plan, with first aid being carried out on the person involved.
Following advice and assessment from the coastguard, the person walked off the boat and received further treatment ashore."
In the statement released, they also included the woman's quote, who commented by saying, "I just wanted to say that despite how the trip ended, it was amazing to see such majestic creatures in the wild and I don’t for a second want this freak event to tarnish the reputation of an already persecuted species. Wanted to thank everyone for their amazing actions. What was a very scary incident was made so much easier by the kindness and calmness of the people around me."
She also said, "We all take these risks when we enter the habitat of a predator and we can never completely predict the reactions of a wild animal."
