Devastated wife of newlywed shark attack victim accuses Maldives tour firm of ‘serious negligence’ after attack near fish processing plant left him fighting for life with amputated leg
The wife of a Spanish doctor, who struggled for his life after being attacked by a shark on his honeymoon in the Maldives, accused the tour group of ‘serious negligence’.
The incident is understood to have happened off the luxurious island of Kooddoo on Monday afternoon after the couple took part in a trip to swim near the archipelago’s fish processing plant, where sharks are known to roam.
The man, identified locally as a 31-year-old gynecologist from Alicante named Borja, was airlifted to hospital before doctors amputated his leg.
While the couple’s families condemned the ‘carelessness’ of the trip organizer, Borja’s wife, named Ana in the Spanish media, filed a complaint with the authorities in the Maldives, according to El Periodico Mediterraneo news source.
The young couple, who live in Alicante, had recently gotten married before heading to the Indian Ocean paradise for their honeymoon.
The Spanish holidaymaker was initially taken to GA. He was taken to Atoll Hospital, taken to Male, the densely populated capital of the Maldives, and admitted to the intensive care unit at ADK Hospital.
The area where the attack took place is famous for the ‘Shark Alley’ dive site where large schools of Spinner sharks are frequently seen, but the possibility that a Bull shark was also involved has not been ruled out.
While local reports claimed that the Kooddoo plant had not discharged fish waste for nearly a week, one source was quoted as saying: ‘The sharks were probably in high hunger and expectation.
A tourist who was attacked by a shark on his honeymoon in the Maldives is struggling to survive (file picture)
‘Once the group entered, the entrance itself may have triggered a predatory response.’
Quoting a source close to Ana’s family, El Periodico Mediterraneo said: ‘With one bite, she took all the flesh from her husband’s knee to his leg.’
Relatives of Ana, who is said to be the daughter of a prominent businessman from Castellon, flew to the Maldives to support her.
An acquaintance of the family told the Spanish daily newspaper: ‘They are trying to save Borja, he is in intensive care but the medical conditions there are very unstable.’
Kooddoo is home to a four-star hotel, Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, located in Gaafu Alifu Atoll, a popular honeymoon destination and known for its rich and diverse marine life.
The Mercure is the only resort on the island, but it is unclear whether the couple were staying at the hotel or visiting Kooddoo on a daily basis.
The resort offers a variety of water-based activities such as diving, sailing and paddle boarding.
The Maldives is home to some of the cleanest waters in the world, making it a desirable tourist destination.
But like any complex ecosystem, remote islands are home to fearsome predators whose sole instinct is to kill and destroy.
The Maldives is home to 31 shark species, 29 of which are globally threatened.
But the Maldives has seen its share of shark attacks since diving into shark hotspots became a popular tourist activity.
Late last year, a 26-year-old Chinese woman was injured in the Maldives after reportedly chasing a shark for ‘play’.
It is said that she was on her period at the time and consulted professionals about diving during her period before being told it was safe.
The woman got into the water using tampons, but was attacked after the nurse saw the sharks and chased them away to play. There were deep bite marks left on his wrists.
Also last year, a dentist who was on a luxury holiday in the Maldives was bitten by a shark.
Ekaterina Alexandrova, 30, from Moscow, was bitten on the hand while snorkeling with a friend.
He complained of ‘insane pain’ but managed to get back to the tour boat.
The attack was carried out by normally docile nurse sharks after they were told the trip was ‘safe’.
‘I’m lucky – I pushed through [the attacking shark] “I moved away with my left hand and failed to bite down hard,” he said.
‘Sure, I’ve come across men who say I’m a delicious pie and could take a bite,’ she said. ‘But I didn’t think I was on the sharks’ lunch menu in the Maldives.
‘So it was definitely a shock and a big surprise to me.’
The dentist was later seen shaking in shock as he was getting stitches for the wound on his skin at the clinic.
Another Russian citizen was attacked by a shark while snorkeling in the Maldives.
Influencer and singer Nastya Vitonova was swimming off the coast of the paradise islands when a shark sank its teeth into her hand.
In the footage, Vitonova’s hand, which was on an organized tour boat immediately after the terrible attack, was gushing with blood, while the boat crew was seen hurriedly pouring water on her wound.
Vitonova was later transported to the nearest island where she received medical treatment for her bite, but her injuries were not serious.
