A woman on a dream vacation in the Caribbean suffered a devastating injury after attempting to “engage” with a shark, resulting in the loss of both her hands.

The tourist, who was in hip-deep water on a beach in Providenciales, the main island of the Turks and Caicos archipelago, was trying to snap a picture of the predator—estimated to be between six and nine feet long—when the shark attacked.

The incident occurred last Friday, February 7, near the eastern end of Blue Hills Beach, close to Da Conch Shack and Thompson’s Cove Beach. According to Visit Turks and Caicos Islands, the shark involved is believed to be either a bull shark or a tiger shark.

Following the attack, the Turks and Caicos Islands government issued a warning to tourists, reminding them of the potential dangers that lurk beneath its pristine waters.

Authorities Issue a Cautionary Statement

The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) released the following statement regarding the attack:

“On Friday 7th February, a tourist was injured by a shark in the waters adjacent to Blue Hills, Providenciales.

The individual was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where she was stabilized and later flown off island for further medical care.