Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office warning: New alert for Caribbean island Tobago after British tourist mauled by shark

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for a Caribbean island after a British tourist was mauled by a shark in a horror attack. The 64-year-old man is in intensive care after being attacked by a bull shark on the Caribbean island of Tobago on Friday 26 April. 

The government of Trinidad and Tobago has shut seven beaches and a marine park in the wake of the mauling. The Foreign Office is warning holidaymakers to “exercise extreme caution” after the horror attack.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its advice for British tourists travelling to the area. The FCDO said: "Following a shark attack on a tourist at Turtle Beach/Courland Bay on April 26, the Tobago authorities have temporarily closed the Buccoo Reef Marine Park (BRMP) until further notice. 

“This closure is effective immediately and applies to all recreational activities, including snorkelling, diving, glass-bottom boat tours, and any other water-based activities within the park boundaries. The Tobago authorities strongly advise all beachgoers, fisherfolk, and mariners to exercise extreme caution when operating in the coastal areas surrounding Plymouth, Courland Bay, Black Rock, Mt. Irvine, Buccoo, Pigeon Point, Store Bay, and all areas in between. You should check and follow the advice of local authorities."

Officials said the closures will allow the Coast Guard and Department of Fisheries to investigate the incident and “neutralise the shark threat, if possible”. The shark was estimated to be 8ft to 10ft long and 2ft wide, according to a statement by the Tobago House of Assembly. 

Peter Smith from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, was savaged 10 metres off the shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay on the north coast of Tobago. He suffered damage to his left arm and leg, puncture wounds to the abdomen and injuries to his right hand. 

He was in a “stable” condition in Scarborough General Hospital in Tobago on Sunday (28 April) after undergoing surgery. His wife, Jo, said he is currently “aware of what is happening and can communicate” in intensive care.

Last year, there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, along with 14 fatalities, according to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File. The Foreign Office said it was supporting the family.