A 76-year-old Canadian tourist died Thursday after being bitten by a marine animal while swimming at the Quieta beach in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.
According to local media reports, the man bled to death on the beach area of the Club Med resort shortly after 9 a.m. His female partner was also injured in the attack, reports said, and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. She is said to be in stable condition.
Local Civil Protection officials were quoted as saying they were unsure if the attack was perpetrated by a shark or a crocodile. News reports suggested the Zihuatanejo mayor inclined toward the latter theory since he had recently asked for improved security at a crocodile farm in the area.
Tourists have recently alerted authorities to the presence of crocodiles on beaches in both Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa. A few shark attacks have also been reported on local beaches: an American tourist was the victim of an attack in Troncones, in the municipality of La Unión, adjacent to Zihuatanejo, in 2019.
Last week, a 26-year-old mother died after being attacked by a shark at the Melaque beach in Jalisco.
Zihuatanejo authorities said it should become clear after forensic studies are concluded on Friday, exactly what find of marine species was responsible for the attack on the Canadian tourist.