German tourist dies after shark attack off the coast of Dakhla

A 30-year-old German tourist, who was sailing on a British-flagged yacht off the coast of Dakhla, Morocco, was attacked by a shark. The woman, who had jumped into the water for a swim, was attacked by a shark that bit off her leg, according to German and Spanish media reports.

The fatal attack occurred shortly after 4 p.m. on Monday, September 16. The tourist was aboard the Dalliance Chichester, sailing approximately 180 kilometers west of Dakhla, when the incident took place.

Reportedly, the boat's crew requested help from Spain's Salvamento Marítimo, which, according to the same source, shares international rescue responsibilities with the Moroccan navy.

Spain sent an alert to a nearby ship, which offered first aid supplies to the catamaran’s crew, after Morocco said that it had no emergency resources in the area. A helicopter from the Search and Rescue (SAR) service of the Spanish Air Force based in Gran Canaria was then dispatched to rescue the woman, who had already lost her leg.

At around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the woman was finally transported by the helicopter. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Negrín Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Shark attacks are reportedly quite uncommon in the area where the incident occurred.