Tourist attacked by ‘snapper’ fish in Elche

A 40-YEAR-OLD Spanish woman on holiday with her family has sustained several deep cuts after being bitten by a ‘Bluefish’ on El Robollo beach, Elche.

She was reportedly bitten several times, the worst of the injuries were on the top of her left foot and at the base of her knee. Both these gashes are around two inches wide which is consistent with the bite of a Bluefish. The woman from Valladolid is now on crutches and has a cast that goes from her foot to her knee. A tendon in her foot was partially severed.

This is the third fish attack in the last month in the province of Alicante. Two young children, one aged seven and the other 10 were bitten on El Pinet beach by what is now assumed to be the same species of fish.

Lifeguards raised the red flag in lieu of the attack on El Pinet and three other beaches close by when the two children were bitten. The flags remained green on El Robollo beach and the lifeguards let swimmers back into the sea after the woman was bitten around three weeks later.

The Bluefish is a very aggressive breed also referred to as a ‘snapper’ that can weigh up to 40 pounds and can grow up to 60 centimetres long. They prefer open water and can be found all over the world.