A doctor was mauled to death by a shark in front of his family while windsurfing at a popular tourist beach, leaving his board with a bite mark consist with that of a massive sea beast
A doctor has been brutally mauled to death by a shark while his terrified family watched from the shore. The 55-year-old medic was windsurfing at a busy beach on the South Pacific island of New Caledonia when the predator struck, reportedly thrashing him through the water in a frantic struggle.
The victim was left with “catastrophic” injuries to his limbs before his body was spotted floating in a nearby lagoon by passing sailors on Sunday afternoon. Emergency crews rushed to the scene at the popular Château Royal beach, near the capital of Nouméa, but were unable to save him despite desperate attempts.
Investigators found a chunk missing from the victim’s windsurfing board, consistent with an animal bite. Nouvelle-Caledonie Prevention Requin confirmed the grim details of the attack, noting that the doctor’s right forearm, leg, and left tibia bore the hallmarks of a shark strike.
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The group stated online: “A man lost his life after a shark attack, in the area of the Château Royal beach, in Nouméa. Late Sunday afternoon, rescue teams were at the scene and the beach was evacuated.”
Police immediately flooded the area, ordering sunbathers out of the water and sealing off the sands as specialist teams moved in to support the victim’s relatives.
The beach was reportedly packed with holidaymakers enjoying the South Pacific sunshine when the tragedy unfolded.
An autopsy is now underway to officially confirm the cause of death as local authorities scrambled to understand how the incident happened.
Nouméa prosecutor Yves Dupas said: “We do not yet know how the attack unfolded. We are trying to determine the circumstances.”
New Caledonia has long held a reputation as a shark “danger zone,” with the French territory recording several fatal encounters in recent years.
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