SHARK HORROR
Tourist killed in Caribbean island’s first ever fatal shark attack screamed for help as sea turned red with blood
AN ITALIAN tourist killed in a Caribbean island's first ever fatal shark attack screamed for help as the sea turned red with blood.
Antonio Straccialini, 56, was mauled by an eight-foot tiger shark which tore a chunk from his leg as he swam in waters off La Piscinita, on the idyllic Colombian island of San Andres.
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According to horrified witnesses, he cried out for help after being bitten by the beast.
Horrifying photos show the man lying on his back with a huge chunk taken out of his right thigh and blood gushing from the wound before he was taken to hospital.
After suffering severe blood loss from the bite, he went into a state of hypovolemic shock and died from his injuries.
Marine biologist Rodrigo Lopez said: "People are very worried about what’s happened and they’re not letting people go into the water.
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"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."
It is the first recorded shark attack on the Caribbean island, which is known for its beautiful white beaches and perfect snorkeling conditions.
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.
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.
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Mauricio Valdonado, who risked his own life swimming out to bring the tourist back to shore, added: "He was on his own."
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 first time a shark has attacked a tourist in San Andres."
People are very worried about what’s happened and they’re not letting people go into the water
Rodrigo Lopez
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."
Tiger sharks are the fourth-biggest species of shark in the world.
Fast hunters, they can reach speeds of up to 20mph, while a female can have between 10 and 82 babies in one litter.
Their teeth are so strong and powerful they can bite through the shell of a sea turtle or clam.
They are known for the verticle dark stripes on their back and eat many types of prey, although attacks on humans are extremely rare.
Tiger sharks have been hunted themselves by humans over the years for their fins, cartilage, and oil.
However, they aren't endangered at this point.
San Andres, around 470 miles north of the Colombian mainland, is part of Colombia but has been historically tied to the UK.
English settlers coming from Barbados and England settled in San Andres and the neighbouring island of Providence in the 17th century.
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Welsh pirate 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.
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