A British holidaymaker who survived a bull shark attack off the coast of Tobago punched the beast so hard that he lost sensation in his hand, almost two years on.
Peter Smith, from Hertfordshire, was on the final day of a golfing holiday in April 2024 when he decided to take a last swim before flying home. He swam 20 feet from the shore and stood up to wipe water from his eyes when he felt a 'really heavy object' hit his legs.
'I looked down and there's a bull shark, it's attacking me,' Mr Smith told Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio. 'I started to punch it. I've never punched anything that hard before.' The pensioner suffered significant injuries to his stomach, arm, and inner thigh, but managed to fight off the shark by punching it in the face.
His friend John bravely came to his aid, and another British holidaymaker trained in first aid applied tourniquets to his leg and arm. Mr Smith was rushed to hospital in Tobago, where he underwent surgery. He was later transferred to Miami for further treatment.
Mr Smith said he had to learn to walk again after losing muscle mass. He still has no feeling in his right hand due to lacerations from punching the shark's eye. Despite the ordeal, he said he would return to Tobago and does not want the incident to rule his life.
