MEXICO: Shark attacks Russian tourist in Cancun

Record ID: 303884

  • Title: MEXICO: Shark attacks Russian tourist in Cancun
  • Date: 26th March 2011
  • Summary: CANCUN, MEXICO (MARCH 25, 2011) (REUTERS) TOURISTS WALKING DOWN BEACH VARIOUS OF BEACH VARIOUS OF LIFEGUARD WHO HELPED RESCUE RUSSIAN TOURIST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BENITO VILLASEÑOR, LIFEGUARD, SAYING: "The young woman started to ask for help. A bather who was swimming started to help her. We saw that there was a stain around her and we thought it was a bite of some sort." VARIOUS OF NATIONAL COMMISSION OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) JAIME CANO, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL COMMISSION OF PROTECTED NATURAL AREAS, SAYING: "It turns out that she's a 26-year-old Russian tourist. This person was swimming about 80 metres from shore, very close to the gate and, according to a lifeguard, he saw a fun very close to the tourist and that's probably when the shark bite occurred." EXTERIOR OF GENERAL HOSPITAL WHERE TOURIST WAS TAKEN SIGN READING 'GENERAL HOSPITAL'
  • Embargoed: 10th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Travel / Tourism
  • Reuters ID: LVA7MJ20MRFIHIZTTUY1J7B7D5Z8
  • Story Text: A 26-year-old Russian tourist was attacked by a shark in the Mexican resort of Cancun on Thursday (March 24).
    Lifeguard Benito Villaseñor said the woman's screams for help caught his attention.
    "The young woman started to ask for help. A bather who was swimming started to help her. We saw that there was a stain around her and we thought it was a bite of some sort," he said.
    The unidentified woman has been hospitalised with a 20-centimetre (8-inch) wound in her leg.
    Local news reports have alleged that the swimmer had ignored warnings of possible attacks.
    This is the second attack in Cancun in a few months. A Canadian tourist also fell victim to a shark attack in February, when paddling in shallow waters outside a hotel. Nicole Moore, 38, suffered severe injuries and lost an arm.
    Shark attacks are rare in Mexico.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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