The autopsy carried out by the two forensic scientists who arrived from Guadeloupe on Friday morning revealed numerous bites on the victim's body, thus confirming an attack of a tiger shark 3 to 4 meters long according to local authorities.
Twenty-four hours after the tragedy in Orient Bay which aroused great emotion on the island, a new press conference was organized Friday evening in the Prefecture, in the presence of the Secretary General, Mikaël Doré, of the gendarmerie commander, Stephan Basso, the 1st vice-president of the Collectivity, Valérie Damaseau and the director of the Nature Reserve of Saint-Martin, Nicolas Maslach.
New elements on the circumstances of the death of the 38-year-old tourist who had decided to spend a sabbatical year in Saint-Martin have been communicated to the media. "The death of the young woman is due to a shark attack, probably a tiger shark of significant size", declared Mikaël Doré. "According to forensic scientists, the tourist was conscious at the time of the attack." "The victim had multiple bites on the left leg, foot, hands and especially five large bites on the right leg which resulted in his death", added Commander Stephan Basso.
Otherwise, more information on the shark should be provided this week after further in-depth analyzes of the bites found on the body.
Mickaël Doré also informed us that a company had been asked by the Prefecture the day after the tragic accident to search the area with a drone, no animal having been seen. Agents of the Nature Reserve also carried out dives on Friday morning on Orient Bay to try to spot sharks. In vain, the visibility was not good at all, the water being very cloudy.
Extension of the decree prohibiting bathing and practice of nautical activities
A scientific monitoring group has been created and is due to meet today. Sharks specialists from Tahiti, the United States and Réunion should provide their expertise to help local authorities take the best measures necessary to protect the Saint-Martin population.
In the meantime, the authorities have decided to extend the decree prohibiting swimming and the practice of water sports and activities on the entire coast of the French part, including on the beaches of Îlets Pinel, Tintamarre and Caye Verte until December 16._AF
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