Just 24 hours after an 11-year-old boy lost his leg in a shark attack near Recife, Brazil, another horrific incident unfolded along the same stretch of coastline.
On June 1st, 19-year-old Marcela Vitória de Lima Santos was attacked by a shark while swimming at Boa Viagem Beach, one of Brazil’s most infamous shark-attack hotspots. According to multiple reports, the shark severed her right leg during the attack, leaving beachgoers scrambling to save her life.
Graphic footage circulating online shows the aftermath of the attack, though most outlets have blurred the video because of its severity.
Among the first people to reach Marcela was her cousin, Jonas André de Lima.
“We were having fun there, we went to the beach to have a good time,” he told Brazilian television. “She said she was going to take a swim, and suddenly the shark attacked her there on the beach.”
Lima said he heard his cousin screaming his name from the water.
“Then I went to the shore to help her,” he said. “I pulled her to the edge of the beach, and a lot of people came to help.”
In another interview, Lima described swimming out to reach her as she drifted farther from shore and began losing strength. By the time rescuers reached the beach, the injury was catastrophic. An off-duty doctor reportedly improvised a tourniquet and helped control the bleeding before paramedics arrived.
Marcela was transported to a local hospital before being transferred to Hospital da Restauração in Recife, where she underwent emergency surgery. Reports indicate she remained in serious condition following the attack.
Related: ‘Don’t Let Me Die’: 11-Year-Old Loses Leg in Brazil Shark Attack (Video)
The incident came less than a day after 11-year-old João Lucas Castor Nemezio Sales was attacked at nearby Piedade Beach. He also lost a leg but has reportedly stabilized after emergency surgery.
Shark attacks remain rare globally, but Pernambuco’s coastline is one of the world’s most documented hotspots. According to the state’s shark-monitoring authorities, Marcela’s attack was the 84th recorded shark incident in the region since 1992 and the second life-altering attack in as many days.
As with the previous attack, the shark species has yet to be identified; however, bull, tiger, lemon, and others are common in the waters off South America.
For a coastline already known for its uneasy relationship with sharks, the back-to-back attacks have left locals shaken and raised fresh questions about safety in the waters around Recife.
Also, the World Surf League’s Championship Tour heads to Brazil, nearby to the back-to-back attacks, June 19th-27th for the Vivo Rio Pro. Stay tuned.
Related: 8ft Shark Mauls Surfer in Honolulu with ‘Serious Injuries’ to Lower Extremities
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