Gemma and Ian Redmond on their honeymoon in the Seychelles. Mrs Redmond said he would ‘be deeply and sorely missed’
The wife of a British man killed in a shark attack while the couple were on honeymoon in the Seychelles has paid tribute to her husband and "best friend".
In a statement, Gemma Redmond said of Ian: "We were having so much fun and were so excited about our future together. Myself, our families and our friends are devastated and shocked by what has happened. The loss of Ian has left a gaping hole in our hearts that will never be filled."
The couple, from Lancashire, were on the second week of their honeymoon on Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles, when Ian, 30, was attacked on Tuesday. They were due to fly home on Sunday.
"He was always calm and collected, strong and brave, witty and intelligent, handsome and caring, a remarkable individual who will be deeply and sorely missed," said Gemma, 27. "We are privileged and proud to have shared our lives with him."
The incident occurred in the waters of the Anse Lazio beach at about 5pm local time. Jean Toussaint of the Seychelles police said: "We discovered that the British citizen was badly injured on the hips and the arms. He was assisted medically but unfortunately he could not make it. We haven't got the autopsy report yet, but he definitely lost a lot of blood."
Redmond was taken to hospital, but Toussaint said he "had no chance of surviving because of the nature of the injuries".
The Seychelles have long been favoured by honeymooners; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed on North Island after their wedding this spring. Praslin, where the shark attack occurred, is an hour by sea from the main island of Mahe.
Mr Redmond's death is the second in the Seychelles this month. On 1 August, a 36-year-old French tourist, Nicolas François Virolle, was bitten by a shark. He was pulled from the sea but later died of his wounds.
"We had this first incident two weeks ago and for the local community it was a freak incident because it had never been reported before around the islands. It took everybody by surprise," said Toussaint. Before that, the last recorded fatal shark attack in the Seychelles was in 1963.
Seychelles authorities have requested help from shark experts in South Africa. In the meantime, they have banned swimming around parts of Praslin.
Dr David Gibson, managing director of the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, said fatalities from shark attacks are very rare. "On average, for the last 15 years there's been between two and six deaths worldwide each year. That's mortalities from all shark attacks worldwide – there's maybe up to 250 non-lethal shark attacks, that's anything from anglers getting bitten when they bring it on board to fishermen getting the same injuries or people swimming and getting brushed past or getting exploratory bites."
Two of the most notorious species indigenous to the Seychelles are the tiger shark and bull shark, which have both been linked to attacks on humans. "Both hunt in very shallow waters," said Gibson. "Bull sharks tend to be more in the mouths of rivers, where the water tends to be muddier. Tiger sharks are well-advanced and efficient predators. They normally predate a very wide range of prey, everything from turtles and sea birds to fish and other sharks and mammals. If I was to hazard a guess on what species it was, it would be that it was a tiger shark. They're a highly mobile species and they have huge natural ranges, hundreds of miles of patrolling routes around the coastline."
He added that it was important for anyone near waters that might contain sharks to "only swim and dive in areas that are recognised and understood recreational spots, don't go off the beaten path. Listen to local guides, they'll have the best information."
In a statement, Gemma Redmond said of Ian: "We were having so much fun and were so excited about our future together. Myself, our families and our friends are devastated and shocked by what has happened. The loss of Ian has left a gaping hole in our hearts that will never be filled."
The couple, from Lancashire, were on the second week of their honeymoon on Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles, when Ian, 30, was attacked on Tuesday. They were due to fly home on Sunday.
"He was always calm and collected, strong and brave, witty and intelligent, handsome and caring, a remarkable individual who will be deeply and sorely missed," said Gemma, 27. "We are privileged and proud to have shared our lives with him."
The incident occurred in the waters of the Anse Lazio beach at about 5pm local time. Jean Toussaint of the Seychelles police said: "We discovered that the British citizen was badly injured on the hips and the arms. He was assisted medically but unfortunately he could not make it. We haven't got the autopsy report yet, but he definitely lost a lot of blood."
Redmond was taken to hospital, but Toussaint said he "had no chance of surviving because of the nature of the injuries".
The Seychelles have long been favoured by honeymooners; the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed on North Island after their wedding this spring. Praslin, where the shark attack occurred, is an hour by sea from the main island of Mahe.
Mr Redmond's death is the second in the Seychelles this month. On 1 August, a 36-year-old French tourist, Nicolas François Virolle, was bitten by a shark. He was pulled from the sea but later died of his wounds.
"We had this first incident two weeks ago and for the local community it was a freak incident because it had never been reported before around the islands. It took everybody by surprise," said Toussaint. Before that, the last recorded fatal shark attack in the Seychelles was in 1963.
Seychelles authorities have requested help from shark experts in South Africa. In the meantime, they have banned swimming around parts of Praslin.
Dr David Gibson, managing director of the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, said fatalities from shark attacks are very rare. "On average, for the last 15 years there's been between two and six deaths worldwide each year. That's mortalities from all shark attacks worldwide – there's maybe up to 250 non-lethal shark attacks, that's anything from anglers getting bitten when they bring it on board to fishermen getting the same injuries or people swimming and getting brushed past or getting exploratory bites."
Two of the most notorious species indigenous to the Seychelles are the tiger shark and bull shark, which have both been linked to attacks on humans. "Both hunt in very shallow waters," said Gibson. "Bull sharks tend to be more in the mouths of rivers, where the water tends to be muddier. Tiger sharks are well-advanced and efficient predators. They normally predate a very wide range of prey, everything from turtles and sea birds to fish and other sharks and mammals. If I was to hazard a guess on what species it was, it would be that it was a tiger shark. They're a highly mobile species and they have huge natural ranges, hundreds of miles of patrolling routes around the coastline."
He added that it was important for anyone near waters that might contain sharks to "only swim and dive in areas that are recognised and understood recreational spots, don't go off the beaten path. Listen to local guides, they'll have the best information."
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