A tragic shark attack has claimed the life of a 30-year-old German woman, who was swimming off a catamaran more than 500 kilometers from the Canary Islands. The incident occurred on Monday, September 16, 2024, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 180 kilometers east of Dakhla, Western Sahara. Despite efforts to rescue her, the woman died before reaching a hospital in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.
The victim had been aboard the British-registered catamaran Dalliance Chichester, which had departed from the port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on September 14 for a leisure voyage. Two days into the trip, the situation turned dire when the woman was attacked by a shark while swimming in open waters far from any coastline. The shark inflicted severe injuries, resulting in the loss of one of her legs.
A Race Against Time
At 3:55 p.m. Canary Islands time, the crew of the Dalliance Chichester issued a distress call to Spanish Maritime Rescue. Since the boat was located in an international area shared by Spain and Morocco for maritime rescue responsibilities, Spain contacted Moroccan authorities for assistance. However, Morocco’s rescue service lacked the necessary resources in the vicinity and requested that Spain take over the emergency operation.
Spanish authorities acted swiftly, issuing an alert to nearby vessels. One of these boats managed to reach the catamaran and provided essential medical supplies to the crew. However, the situation remained critical, and the victim’s condition continued to deteriorate.
Helicopter Rescue Effort
A Spanish Air Force Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter was dispatched from Gran Canaria to the site, arriving around 8:05 p.m. The helicopter crew airlifted the severely injured woman from the boat and began transporting her to the Doctor Negrín Hospital in Las Palmas. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, the victim went into cardiac arrest during the flight and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Incident Location and Timeline
- Dalliance Chichester departed from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on September 14, 2024.
- The shark attack occurred at approximately 3:55 p.m. on September 16, some 180 kilometers off Dakhla, Western Sahara, and more than 500 kilometers from the Canary Islands.
- The Spanish SAR helicopter evacuated the woman at 8:05 p.m., but she succumbed to her injuries before reaching the hospital in Gran Canaria.
Shark Incidents in the Region
Shark attacks are exceedingly rare in the waters around the Canary Islands. According to the International Shark Attack File, maintained by the Florida Museum of Natural History, only six confirmed shark-related incidents have occurred in the Canary Islands’ history, none of which were fatal. The area where the attack took place, east of Dakhla, had no prior record of shark incidents.
This tragic event has led to renewed attention on marine safety, although experts emphasize that such incidents remain highly unusual in the region. The Spanish and Moroccan maritime authorities continue to collaborate in investigating the circumstances of the attack, while the exact species of shark involved has not yet been identified.
