A German tourist has been mauled by a shark in front of horrified holidaymakers at a popular holiday beach in Thailand.
Elke Maier, 57, screamed in pain when the beast sank its teeth into her leg while she was swimming in front of her hotel in Phang Nga on November 29.
Tourists helped her to hobble ashore as she bled heavily from the gaping 12 inch (30cm) wound on her left lower leg.
The victim was rushed from Khao Lak beach to the local hospital before being transferred to a larger facility in Phuket for emergency surgery.
She has been recovering there since and will have a second operation today, local media reports.
Police and conservationists have confirmed that the culprit was a Bull Shark, believed to be around 5ft long. They visited Ms Maier in hospital and vowed to catch the shark.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekkachai Siri said: ‘The victim’s condition has greatly improved, and she will have surgery again this evening if she continues to recover well.
‘The tourist has travel insurance and we have provided documentation to support her. The German Embassy will also assist.
‘Officers are searching for the shark so it can be caught and relocated.’
A German tourist had her leg mauled by a shark while she was swimming in front of her hotel in Phang Nga on November 29.
Graphic pictures show her injured leg bleeding heavily. She had a large wound with teeth marks that was around six inches (15cm) wide and 12 inches (30cm) long
Marine ecosystem expert Thon Thamrongnawasawat, who has studied starks in Thai waters, confirmed that the creature responsible was a Bull Shark.
He added: ‘The shark may have swum along the seabed and noticed moving legs, mistaking them for prey. There was only one bite without, any further wrestling, biting, or eating of the flesh. So we believe it recognised the tourist was not its natural prey and released her.
This behaviour indicated that it did not intend to hunt a human, but rather a misunderstanding. I believe it was Bull Shark.’
Shocked onlookers said the beast responsible for the attack was around 5ft long. They believe it then swam away into the deeper water.
Elke had a large wound with teeth marks that was around six inches (15cm) wide and 12 inches (30cm) long. The teeth had punctured her skin and muscles.
Police and local officials arrived at the beach. They said that locals had reported shark sightings a few days earlier and one had been caught. However, they had not identified the species.
Holidaymaker Friedrich Bach, also from Germany, said: ‘The conditions in the sea were calm but then there was some panic.
‘I could hear shouting and people helping a woman. I could hear people shouting “shark, shark”. I’m afraid to go back into the sea.’
The tourist, 57-year-old Elke Maier, is pictured in hospital where she was receiving treatment for her leg injury
Police said that locals had reported shark sightings a few days earlier and one had been caught
Lifeguard Athit Athit Pinyo, 29, from a hotel resort on the beachfront, said that tourists raised the alarm after Elke was attacked.
He said: ‘A foreign tourist raised her hand and shouted for help. I quickly ran down to the beach to help the tourist.
‘I took a board device into the water to help. There was a deep wound on her left leg that had teeth marks and it looked like a shark had bitten her.
‘The area where the tourist went to play in the water was not very deep, only chest deep. It seemed safe.’
Ms Maier was rushed from Khao Lak beach to the local hospital before being transferred to a larger facility in Phuket for emergency surgery
Local tourism chiefs are now scrambling to protect the image of the area. They are seen in the video patrolling the beach where the shark attack happened.
Lertsak Ponklin, President of the Tourism Business Association of Phang Nga province, said warnings had been sent to local hotels, watersports operators and surfing schools.
The tourism chief added: ‘The next measure is to prevent Phang Nga province from becoming a rich feeding ground for sharks.
‘If this was a shark attack, we must study and learn which areas they swim. We must take precautionary measures to prevent tourists from swimming there.
Shocked onlookers said the beast responsible for the attack was around 5ft long. They believe it then swam away into the deeper water
Lertsak Ponklin, President of the Tourism Business Association of Phang Nga province, said warnings had been sent to local hotels, watersports operators and surfing schools
‘We must make tourists understand the situation. In addition, we must urgently push for Phang Nga Province to have an increased number of lifeguards to protect tourists on beaches.’
Phang Nga is on the west of Thailand along the Andaman Sea coast, stretching into the Bay of Bengal.
The region is home to Reef Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks, Grey Reef Sharks and even Hammerhead Sharks. All of them are capable of attacking humans.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
