An Italian tourist has died in a shark attack on a Caribbean island famous for its white sandy beaches.
Antonio Rossetto degli Abruzzi, 56, lost a major part of his right thigh after being bitten by an eight-foot animal as he swam in a popular-snorkeling area called La Picinita on the Colombian island of San Andres.
Graphic images published in the local press and on social media showed him lying on his back after the attack and blood dripping from his wound before being taken to hospital.
Reports said Mr Abruzzi went into hypovolemic shock due to severe blood loss.
The shark attack, which happened on Friday, is a first for the popular dive resort.
It is considered as one of the best places to snorkel on the island.
An island government spokesman said: “There are diving programs with professionals in which sharks pass by, but nothing has happened.”
Diving instructor Mirala Zambrano, 50, said: “We are all very surprised. This is the first time a shark has attacked a tourist in San Andres. ,
The attack has been blamed on Tiger Shark.
Tiger sharks are the second deadliest sharks after great whites, although fatalities involving humans are still very rare.
Videos circulating on social media show two tiger sharks believed to be involved in Friday’s incident, swimming near the attack.
Marine biologist Rodrigo López said: “People are very concerned about what has happened and they are not letting people into the water.
“A witness said that the man who was attacked was a good swimmer and had been at sea for a long time and when he came out for the second time after coming back to shore, started shouting for help and bleeding was surrounded by.”
Mauricio Valdonado, who risked his life to bring the tourist back to shore, said: “He was on his own.”
La Picinita, the Little Swimming Pool in English, gets its name from the calm waters and rock formation that make it look like a natural pool enclosed in rocks.
Visitors describe it on TripAdvisor as “a great place to swim with the fish.”
One said after a recent visit: “A wonderful place. Very crystal-clear and warm water, a great place to jump and enjoy a moment in the water.”
San Andres, about 470 miles north of the Colombian mainland, is part of Colombia, but historically attached to the UK.
Englishmen from Barbados and England settled in San Andres and the neighboring island of Providence in the 17th century.
The Welsh privateer Sir Henry Morgan used it as one of his centers of operations in 1670.
After an unsuccessful Spanish invasion of the islands in 1635, they were controlled by the British until 1787.
