French Tourist Attacked by Shark in Seychelles

A French tourist has sustained serious injuries after she was attacked by a shark in the Seychelles.

According to reports, the 45-year-old woman – who has yet to be identified – was attacked on Sunday evening, 29 December, by a shark while swimming in the waters of a beach in Amitie, Praslin.

Suffering injuries to her arm, she was taken to a local hospital, where – according to Dominic Mas, the French ambassador to the Seychelles – she “underwent an operation last night and her life is not in danger.”

Meanwhile, the Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA) cordoned off the area where the attack occurred in order to search for the shark, whose species has yet to be clarified, and which was likely attracted to the shore due to the water’s cool temperatures.

Shark attacks are relatively rare in the Seychelles. However, both a British and a French tourist were killed by sharks off Praslin in 2011.