A shark attacked a woman on a Caribbean beach, severing both her hands as she attempted to take a photo with the creature, The Telegraph reported.

The incident occurred last Friday near Thompson Cove Beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where the 55-year-old Canadian woman had ventured just a few yards into the water.

Local authorities reported that she “attempted to engage” with the six-foot-long shark before the attack occurred. As a result of the incident, she underwent amputation of one arm below the wrist and the other midway up her forearm. The woman has since returned to Canada for further medical treatment.

While the exact species of shark involved in the attack is still unconfirmed, local reports indicate it may have been a bull shark.

Witnesses described the chaos as the woman’s husband plunged into the water, trying to scare the shark away before it could attack again. Tourists gathered around the victim, using their clothing to help stop the bleeding.

Video footage taken by another visitor showed the shark swimming in the area prior to the incident, with reports suggesting it had been present for about 40 minutes before the attack occurred.

Authorities confirmed that the tourist had tried to engage with the animal in shallow waters to take photographs before the attack took place.

Shark attacks are infrequent in the Turks and Caicos Islands, with only one reported incident last year. However, local authorities have advised caution to beachgoers.

In the nearby Cayman Islands, feeding sharks has been banned since 2022 due to the potential dangers it poses to swimmers and divers.