Man killed by bull shark in New Caledonia waters

Shark

    

A man has died after being bitten multiple times by a shark while swimming off the Pacific Ocean island of New Caledonia, famed for its idyllic turquoise waters and white sandy beaches, police said Sunday.

The man, described as around 50 years old, who was on a cruise with friends in the south of the archipelago, was swimming just metres from the boat when he was attacked by a bull shark, a military police spokesman told local radio.

"It was really a savage and sudden attack. Most people onboard were health workers, the first aid given was significant but the injuries were such that unfortunately there was not much that could be done," said the spokesman, without giving the dead man's nationality.

New Caledonia, off north-eastern Australia, is a French overseas territory but formulates its own tax, labour laws and trade policy.

The sun-drenched island, which boasts the world's largest enclosed lagoon with magnificent coral, is a popular tourist destination.