And other travel stories you may have missed this week.
This week in travel, we’ve uncovered several stories that might have flown under your radar. Among them: a humpback whale swallowed–and spit out–a kayaker in Chile; a passenger threatened crew on a flight to Miami; and a city in Portugal proposes a dress code.
Dive into these and more as we examine the latest in travel news.
NO.1
WOMAN LOSES BOTH HANDS AFTER SHARK ATTACK
A tragic incident occurred on a beach in Turks and Caicos on February 7. A Canadian tourist was injured in a shark attack while snorkeling on the island of Providenciales. The 55-year-old attempted to take photographs of a shark from shallow waters when the shark bit both her hands. She was transported off the island to Canada for treatment.
The species of the shark is not yet known, but it was six feet in length. Authorities closed the beach as a precaution and reopened it after determining the shark had moved to deeper waters. Officials issued a statement warning tourists to respect marine life: “Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and do not attempt to feed marine wildlife under any circumstances.”
NO.2
WHALE SWALLOWS KAYAKER AND SPITS HIM BACK
An unbelievable moment was captured on camera. Adrián Simancas was kayaking off Chile’s coast with his father, Dell Simancas, when a humpback whale swallowed him whole. Miraculously, the whale spit him out, and he and his father were able to reach the shore unharmed. He survived to tell the tale, but his father’s camera—tied to the back of his kayak—captured the incident, which has since gone viral on social media.
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The 23-year-old told the BBC that he opened his eyes inside the whale’s mouth and felt something slimy on his face. “I spent a second realizing I was inside the mouth of something, that maybe it had eaten me, that it could have been an orca or a sea monster.” He was deciding what to do next when, within seconds, he surfaced. An expert explained that the whale isn’t physically capable of swallowing large objects like a man or a kayak, so it was likely an accident.
NO.3
PORTUGAL CITY INTRODUCES SWIMWEAR RULES IN PUBLIC
Albufeira, a popular beachside city and a magnet for British tourists, is planning to introduce new dress codes this summer to prohibit people from walking around town with bare torsos. The proposed code of conduct will fine individuals up to €1,500 ($1,571) for going shirtless or wearing a bikini away from the beach, the BBC reports.
The city has been dealing with overzealous tourists. Last year, eight British men were filmed dancing naked during the day in a bar, raising concerns about tourist behavior.
The proposal—currently out for public consultation—could go into effect by summer. It will also ban sexual acts in public.
NO.4
PASSENGER DIES ON JET2 FLIGHT
In an unfortunate incident, a passenger died on a flight from Tenerife, Spain, to Nottingham, England. The Jet2 flight crew notified air traffic control of a medical emergency on board and requested assistance. The plane was diverted to mainland Spain, landing at Santiago Rosalia de Castro Airport. However, the man was declared dead on arrival.
The passenger was in his 70s, but his identity has not yet been released.
NO.5
PASSENGER THREATENS TO BREAK FLIGHT ATTENDANT’S JAW
A 27-year-old passenger flying from Miami to Newark on Sunday allegedly made violent threats toward the flight crew. According to an FBI report, Luis Vaquero mocked Jewish passengers and threatened a disabled minor. He also threatened the flight crew after a flight attendant refused to serve him alcohol, saying, “You better watch out, s–t’s gonna happen to you.”
He was allegedly disruptive throughout the three-hour flight, and the pilot called law enforcement, which is said to have further enraged Vaquero. He banged on the cockpit door, and according to an affidavit, “upon arrival at the gate, the captain emerged from the flight deck, after which Vaquero approached the captain, screaming and threatening him until law enforcement boarded the plane and escorted Vaquero off the plane.”
The passenger, who is being charged by the FBI, is also said to have used a racial slur and said he would break the flight attendant’s jaw.
