A 56-year-old woman has died after her arm was torn off in a suspected shark attack in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Arlene Lillis, from Minnesota, was swimming off Drosch Beach around 4.30 p. m. when the fatal attack occurred Thursday.
Christopher Carroll, a tourist from Utah, told the St Thomas Source he first realised something was wrong when he heard "ungodly screaming” coming from the sea.
Carroll, a former lifeguard, quickly swam out and found the victim floating in the water have been severely injured. The woman’s arm had been completely severed below the elbow, he told the newspaper.
However, she was still conscious after the attack despite her injuries Carroll said.
“She was talking,” Carroll said. “I just kept trying to reassure her.”
Ryan Connot, a vacationer from Nebraska, said that he swam out to Carroll to help him bring Lillis back to shore.
Halfway towards the shoreline, Lillis told the men her name and that she was scared for her life. She later died on the beach after losing a significant amount of blood.
The Virgin Islands Police Department said in a statement that authorities suspect that a second victim was also injured.
The cops added that both marine units and emergency responders raced to the scene after receiving reports of the attack at around 4.28 p.m.
Police have established a perimeter around the beach and are continuing to investigate what could have caused the attack.
Governor Albert Bryan Jr and Lieutenant Governor Tregenza A Roach released a joint statement after Lillis' death.
“On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands, I extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and all who are grieving this loss,” Roach said. “In moments like this, we are reminded how quickly life can change. We thank the individuals on the scene who stepped forward to help, and we commend our first responders for their swift action and professionalism under extremely difficult circumstances.”
Authorities have not yet confirmed which type of shark could have been behind the attack. However, the warm waters surrounding the U.S. Virgin Islands are home to some of the ocean’s deadliest sharks.
Tiger Sharks, which have been known to devour everything from dolphins to manmade objects, are a common sight in the region. Caribbean Reef Sharks, which can reach up to 9.8 ft in length, are also common and are a symbol of the region.
However, despite the fact that the area is teeming with sharks, attacks are actually exceedingly rare. According to the Florida Museum, just three shark attacks have unfolded on the U.S. Virgin Islands since 1580.
Gavin Naylor, the director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, told TIME that sharks generally avoid humans.
However, he says that sharks can swim as close as 100 yards from the shoreline. If one of the creatures attacks, he recommends hitting it in the nose.
“They have a lot of receptors on the snout, so if they’re really quite alarmed, it'll turn and it'll go away,” Naylor continues. “That happens nine times out of 10.”
