- This story is developing, more to follow
A tourist is fighting for his life after being attacked by a shark on his honeymoon in the Maldives.
The holidaymaker suffered extreme blood loss and had to have his leg amputated after being airlifted to hospital.
The victim of the attack in the Maldives has been identified as a Spanish gynaecologist called Borja.
El Periodico Mediterraneo, a daily newspaper covering the east coast Spanish province of Castellon, said he hailed from Alicante and had just got married to a woman from the area called Ana before they headed to the Indian Ocean paradise for their first holiday together as a married couple.
The horror incident is understood to have happened on Monday afternoon off Kooddoo, an island in the Gaafu Alif Atoll.
Local press reports say the victim was part of a group that entered the water at a popular site near the Kooddoo fish processing plant, a location known for high shark activity.
The Spanish holidaymaker was initially taken to the Ga. Atoll Hospital before being airlifted to Male, the densely-populated capital of the Maldives, and admitted to an intensive care unit at ADK Hospital.
The area where the attack happened is famous for large schools of Spinner sharks, although the involvement of a Bull shark has not been ruled out.
Local reports claim the Kooddoo facility had not dumped fish waste for around a week, with one source quoted as saying: ‘The sharks were likely in a heightened state of hunger and anticipation.
‘When the group jumped in, the entry itself may have triggered a predatory response.’
El Periodico Mediterraneo, quoting a source close to Ana’s family today, said: ‘With one bite, it took all the flesh from the knee down off her husband’s leg.’
It said she had already lodged a formal complaint against the firm that organised their group excursion, accusing it of negligence.
Relatives of Ana, described as the daughter of a well-known Castellon businessman, have flown out to the Maldives to comfort her.
The family acquaintance told the Spanish daily: ‘They are trying to save Borja, he’s in intensive care, but the medical conditions there are very precarious.’
Kooddoo is home to a four-star hotel called the Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, which is a popular honeymoon destination.
Late last year, a 26-year-old Chinese woman was injured after reportedly chasing a shark in the Maldives to ‘play with it.’
She is said to have been on her period at the time and consulted professionals about diving while menstruating before being told it was safe.
The woman used a tampon and went into the water but was attacked after seeing nurse sharks and chasing them to play. She was left with deep bite marks on her wrists.
The Maldives are home to 31 shark species, 29 of which are globally threatened.
