Household of Vacationer, Arms Bitten Off by Shark on ‘Nightmare’ Assault

The household of a lady who misplaced each of her arms in a shark assault is talking out in regards to the second a trip became “what can solely be described as a nightmare.”

As beforehand reported by PEOPLE, a 55-year-old vacationer was significantly injured within the “waters adjoining to Blue Hills, Providenciales” within the Turks and Caicos Islands at roughly 10:30 a.m. native time on Friday, Feb. 7, the federal government mentioned in a Fb submit. 

The sufferer, who hasn’t been named, was taken to Cheshire Corridor Medical Centre the place she was stabilized and later transported off the island for additional medical care.

The girl’s brother-in-law arrange a GoFundMe web page to assist the household financially amid ongoing remedy following the incident that “has utterly altered their life within the blink of a watch,” per the web page.

“Whereas on what was purported to be a calming trip, my sister-in-law and her husband, my brother, lived what can solely be described as a nightmare,” the GoFundMe description — which has been shared by quite a few relations — said.

“After leaving the seaside to hitch her husband, in solely hip deep clear water, a seven-foot bull shark got here at my sister-in-law and ran into her legs. The shark then circled round and bit her thigh,” the message continued.

The submit added, “Not happy, the shark got here again once more and when she put each arms in entrance of her to guard herself, the shark minimize off each of her arms, one at mid-forearm and the opposite on the wrist. Her husband, having rushed again to assist, then managed to wrestle away the shark and stayed between her and the shark till she walked out of the water and collapsed on the seaside.”

The GoFundMe said the girl had since been “flown again to Canada by air ambulance to bear additional surgical procedure and restoration,” including that the household “will want plenty of help to get by this.”

As beforehand reported by PEOPLE, the seaside was closed out of an “abundance of warning” following the assault and the situation reopened on Sunday, Feb. 9, after it was decided that the shark had moved to deeper water, per the Feb. 12 launch shared by the Turks and Caicos Islands authorities Fb web page. 

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The submit additionally claimed that “the vacationer had tried to interact with the animal from the shallows in an try to take images.”

“The DECR wish to urge the general public to at all times pay attention to your environment, comply with native advisories, and respect marine life. Swim in designated areas, keep away from murky waters, by no means swim alone, and don’t try to feed marine wildlife underneath any circumstances,” the submit added.

PEOPLE has reached out to the sufferer’s brother-in-law for an replace on her restoration, however did not instantly hear again. The GoFundMe web page had raised nearly $16,000 ($22,700 CAD) as of Tuesday, Feb. 18.