A 34-year-old woman from Dallas survived an attack by what is believed to be a tiger shark on Monday, though the incident left her badly injured.
Lacy Webb Martin was on an annual trip to Abaco Island with her husband when the attack transpired, according to Local 10 . The shark struck without warning while the couple were swimming in about eight feet of water, and Lacy began signaling for help.
“She was so calm that I thought she was kidding,” Brit Martin said. “So I swam over there and she pulled herself up on the boat and she was missing half her back.”
The attack was so severe that Lacy fainted after she was safely aboard the catamaran, according to WFAA 8 . She was wrapped in a tourniquet and towels while medics were radioed. Luckily, there was a doctor on a nearby boat who was able to aid Lacy.
Good morning world, hello everybody ? -Tiger shark & diver- by Eusebio Saenz de Santamaria (not sure) pic.twitter.com/kjZ4ub64jn
— My’ra (@Dany_919) January 7, 2015
Rescuers believe that the predator that attacked Lacy may have been a tiger shark. Though they were uncertain about the species, the shark was reportedly eight-feet-long. The wounds that the shark inflicted upon Lacy during the attack are severe enough to warrant extensive cosmetic surgery in the future.
Lacy was flown by air ambulance to South Florida following the attack, and was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where she underwent surgery. Her husband recalled that she remained calm throughout the ordeal, a fact that doctors credit with saving her life.
Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, Bahamas by David Hall pic.twitter.com/E05NueVf9l
— Sharks (@sharks5316) January 1, 2015
Tiger sharks are common in the Bahamas, often frequenting one local area, Tiger Beach, where divers repeatedly interact peacefully with the predators. As the Inquisitr has previously reported, the sharks that inhabit the area have even been named by the divers, some of whom have encountered the same animals for years on end. Due to the unique conditions at Tiger Beach, where the sharks are well fed by divers and tourists, the predators pose little threat to humans.
Lacy Webb Martin was able to speak with family for several minutes on Tuesday. She will remain in the hospital for three weeks before returning to Dallas to undergo the cosmetic surgeries necessary to repair her injuries. It is currently unclear whether authorities plan to attempt to identify or pursue the tiger shark believed to be responsible for the attack.
[Images: Local 10 and Thomas P. Peschak via National Geographic ]