A 44-year-old American visiting the Bahamas from Boston was killed in a shark attack while paddleboarding near a beach resort Monday, according to local authorities.
The woman had traveled to the Bahamas with a male relative, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a news release. "Preliminary reports indicate that the victim, along with a male relative, was paddle boarding away from the shoreline in waters at the rear of a resort in western New Providence when she was bitten by a shark," the release said.
According to Boston's WCVB 5, witnesses told local news outlets that the woman had gotten married on Sunday.
Victim Suffered Significant Trauma to the Right Side of Her Body
As reported by CNN, a lifeguard on duty at the resort noticed the attack and went into the water on a boat to try and rescue the victim along with the relative. The lifeguard administered CPR to the woman, police said.
"The victim suffered significant trauma to the right side of her body. She was examined on scene by emergency medical technicians, who concluded that she showed no vital signs of life," the police said in a release. The woman died shortly after 11 a.m. local time, police told CNN.
Video footage obtained by CBS News showed blood stains on the paddleboard the victim was riding at the time of the attack.
Resort Releases Statement
It is unclear what type of shark was responsible for the fatal attack, and the investigation remains active and ongoing.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a guest while on a paddle boarding activity nearly a mile from the shore," Sandals Royal Bahamian resort said in a statement to ABC News. "We wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the guest's family and loved ones. We remain in close contact with them and are providing all support possible during this difficult time."
Fatal Shark Attacks in the Bahamas in Recent Times
In recent years, two other fatal shark attacks involving American tourists in the Bahamas have made headlines. Both incidents were near Rose Island.
Last September, a 58-year-old woman from Pennsylvania was killed by a bull shark while snorkeling in the Bahamas. The victim, Caroline DiPlacido, was in the area for a week-long cruise at the time of the incident, as previously reported.
California resident Jordan Lindsey, 19, was killed while snorkeling with her mother when she was attacked by at least three sharks.
