A tragic incident shook the holiday region of Guerrero: A Belgian tourist died in a shark attack at Playa Quieta beach in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo. The man, identified as Joseph “N”, was on holiday with his wife when the tragedy occurred.
Attack in the early morning
According to the tourist police, the incident was discovered around 08:50. The man was in the sea when he was suddenly attacked by a shark. A witness noticed the attack, rushed into the water, and tried to bring the holidaymaker ashore. However, despite immediate help, he died just a few minutes after being rescued. The prosecutor’s report describes clear bite injuries on the body.
“On the sand lay a lifeless body, dressed in black shorts with orange letters, showing clear signs of a shark attack,” states the official report from the Guerrero prosecutor’s office.
His wife, Bynens “N”, confirmed the identity of the victim. The body was then taken to the forensic medical centre in Guerrero.
Further incidents on Mexican coasts
This incident is not the first of its kind in Mexico. On 2 December, a young woman aged 25 to 26 died in the Bay of Melaque in the state of Jalisco after being attacked by a shark. The woman was at the beach with her five-year-old son, who was unharmed. The shark bit her left leg up to the hip, and she did not survive her injuries.
After the attack, authorities raised the purple flag, signalling a swimming ban to warn beachgoers of the presence of sharks in the area. The measure applies to the coastal stretch between Melaque and Barra de Navidad.