German Tourist Dies After Rare Shark Attack Off Spain’s Canary Islands

A German tourist tragically died after being attacked by a shark off the coast of Spain’s Canary Islands, as confirmed by local coastguards on Tuesday. The 30-year-old woman had been sailing approximately 500 kilometers from Gran Canaria when the shark attacked, resulting in the loss of her leg.

Despite the efforts of a Spanish rescue helicopter, which airlifted her toward a hospital in Las Palmas, the woman suffered a heart attack and passed away before reaching medical assistance. According to reports from Spanish media, the woman was on a catamaran when the incident occurred.

The shark attack took place 278 nautical miles southwest of Gran Canaria. The catamaran, identified as the Dalliance Chichester, had departed from the port of Las Palmas on September 14, according to the boat-tracking website, Vesselfinder.com.

Shark attacks in the Canary Islands are exceptionally rare. Reports from the local outlet Atlantico Hoy indicate that only six such incidents have been recorded since the 16th century. Additionally, the Spanish emergency services reached out to their Moroccan counterparts, but it was revealed that no suitable rescue equipment was available in the area at the time.