Reunion Island Claims Second Brit In Days Following Shark-Related Death

The waters off the coast of Reunion have claimed another Brit, Olivier Angeloz, within days.

He drowned in the same waters that Richard Turner died in before being eaten by a shark. The apparent assumption is it had to do with a shark attack this time, but investigations are still ongoing.

Police have only commented that Mr. Angeloz was experiencing difficulties before he died but have revealed nothing else. Another source claims Mr. Angeloz’s death supports the belief the lagoon is not as safe as the government says it is for local and foreign tourists.

Turner’s case is quite intriguing as the 44-year-old civil servant had been swimming alone in Hermitage Lagoon off Reunion Island while on holiday with his wife.

Mrs Turner listed her husband as missing on November 3, after he had disappeared while taking a dip the day before. A full search was subsequently conducted involving boats and a helicopter.

The drivers searched around a coral reef, and there were patrols on land with sniffer dogs, but to no avail.

Reports indicated that the shallow waters were deemed safe, but four sharks, measuring four feet, were later caught in the lagoon.

Soon after, a man’s severed hand and forearm were found inside the stomach of one of these sharks, and Mrs. Turner identified the wedding ring on one of the fingers as that of her husband.

The other three sharks caught are also set to have their stomachs examined in due course.

A post-mortem evaluation on the man is yet to be done to see whether he drowned and was subsequently eaten or whether he was first attacked.

DNA testing and contents of the shark's stomach confirmed the body parts were of Mr. Turner.

It is not the first time Reunion Island has become the subject of debate on safety concerning the shark population in the lagoons.

For the last few decades, the government outlawed shark hunting, and the result was increasing shark populations over the years.

Several attacks in the area gave been recorded because of increased shark numbers. The authorities even banned swimming and surfing since 2013 on the beaches.

It was only permitted in the shallow waters of the Island Lagoons, but it seems they are not safe as well.

The species of shark involved in the previous incident was a tiger shark. It is one of the most aggressive and linked to the most human deaths.