First picture of grandmother killed in shark attack after arm torn off
A tourist was killed in a shark attack while swimming off a Caribbean island after her arm was bitten off.
Arlene Lillis, from Minnesota, was enjoying a swim in the crystal clear waters of Dorsch Beach on the island of Saint Croix in the US Virgin Islands when she encountered a shark.
The deadly incident happened at about 4.30pm on Thursday and other beachgoers tried to help the 56-year-old after hearing ‘ungodly screaming’ from the water.
Christopher Carroll, a former lifeguard from Utah, told the local outlet St Thomas Source he first thought a swimmer was in distress before he got to the woman and saw a pool of blood and that her arm was missing below the elbow.
He said: ‘She was talking. I just kept trying to reassure her.’
Another swimmer, Ryan Connot, had been snorkelling nearby when he heard the screams. The two men began taking her towards the beach, yelling at those gathered to call 911 and get something for a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.
Arlene managed to tell her name and that she was ‘going to die,’ Connot said.
Despite their efforts, Arlene succumbed to her injuries after losing a significant amount of blood.
What sharks can you find on the US Virgin Islands?
The waters off the Caribbean island are teeming with marine life.
Among the animals divers and swimmers can spot six species of sharks, including tiger sharks and hammerheads.
While shark attacks are rare globally, tiger sharks have been linked to the second most fatal attacks involving humans after great whites.
Authorities confirmed yesterday that her death was the result of a shark bite. The species involved could not be determined.
Arlene’s neighbour, Andrew Gamble, said the new grandmother had owned a home on St Croix island for several years, and she started spending her winters there last year.
He told ABC News Arlene was a ‘proud mother’ who had fostered and nursed an injured stray dog.
He said: ‘Arlene was active and fun-loving, and above all she was genuinely kind.
‘She loved hiking, the water, and snorkelling, and she had a deep love for animals.’
The US was shocked by another suspected shark attack over Christmas when a swimmer went missing off the coast of Monterey, California.
A swimmer was reported missing on December 21 in Monterey Bay, and an eyewitness reported seeing a shark holding a body in its mouth before it disappeared.
Ten days later, a body identified as Erica Fox, 55, was discovered near the location. She had reportedly worn a shark deterrent anklet when she went missing.
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