A shark has reportedly bitten a diver in Cornwall and had to be rescued by coastguards in the worst such attack in British waters since 1847.
The woman was helped by coastguards after the shark bit her leg during a snorkeling trip run by a local tour company.
The trip had been organized to give people an up-close view of blue sharks, one of several shark species known to migrate from the Atlantic to the west coast of Cornwall during the summer months.
But at some point during the dive it is understood that one of the predators – thought to be a blue – has turned and bit the woman.
A spokesperson for the Coastguard and Maritime Agency said: “HM Coastguard sent the rescue team from Penzance Coastguard to meet a diver who suffered a suspected shark bite.
“The coastguard was alerted shortly before 12.30pm on Thursday July 28. The swimmer is believed to have suffered a leg injury.
“The coastguard team met the victim in Penzance harbor to assist in transferring them to the care of the ambulance service.”
“Blue shark attacks are extremely rare”
Details of the incident have only just emerged and the woman’s name has not been released, details about where she had traveled from or whether the shark came into contact with other divers at the party have not yet been released.
Shark attacks are extremely rare in the UK and over the past few decades conservationists have made efforts to change the public perception that sharks pose a threat to humans.
Of the approximately 475 species of sharks, only 12 are known to pose a threat to humans.