A U.S. tourist claims she was attacked by a shark while vacationing in the Caribbean, and blames a sailing instructor at her resort for the “permanent nerve damage” and “massive scarring” that resulted, according to a federal lawsuit reviewed by The Independent.
After the animal bit down on Yvonne Martin’s upper thigh, the Columbia, Maryland, resident broke free and returned to the beach at Club Med Turkoise, the all-inclusive property in the Turks and Caicos Islands where she was staying, her complaint states.
Once there, another guest, not Club Med personnel, attended to Martin’s bleeding leg, the complaint goes on. It says the resort’s nurse took her credit card information but “was unable to provide adequate assistance,” after which an ambulance summoned by staffers took another hour to arrive.
Martin’s hospital stay was cut short due to issues with Club Med’s liability coverage, even though she was “in trauma” and required additional care, the complaint contends. She was transported back to Club Med and, the complaint continues, “instructed… to remain in her room while insurance issues were addressed.”
“When a shark bite occurs, there is only a window of 6 to 8 hours to be treated and stitched due to dangers of infection,” the complaint states.
However, it alleges, “Club Med and the hospital which treated Ms. Martin missed that window.” Martin, who was traveling alone, was confined to her room for the next two days, untreated, leading to a “worsening infection that required emergency medical care in Miami, Florida.”
As a result, Martin was forced to undergo “invasive surgery, extensive physical therapy, and lengthy hospitalization,” according to the complaint.
It says she has since endured, among other things, “mental anguish, humiliation… permanent nerve damage, massive scarring, and [loss of] enjoyment of life.”
Attorney Jim Tate, who is representing Martin, said his client “had quite an ordeal.”
“She was at the Turks and Caicos Club Med alone for her holiday and after her injury was totally at the mercy of Club Med,” Tate told The Independent. “It seems that rather than make sure that Ms. Martin received proper care, Club Med concentrated on finding insurance.”
Tate described Martin as “an attractive senior,” and said that the shark bite has “permanently marred her swimsuit appearance.”
A Club Med spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
On October 15, 2024, Martin was enjoying a stay at Club Med Turkoise, overlooking the crystal-blue waters of Grace Bay on Providenciales, the northwesternmost island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago, according to her complaint, which was filed September 9 in Maryland federal court.
“Unlike family-oriented properties, Club Med Turkoise is an adults-only haven catering to singles, couples and groups of friends ages 18 and up,” the resort’s website tells prospective guests. “This exclusivity creates a social, carefree vibe — perfect for those seeking sophistication paired with fun.”
Martin had signed up for a sailing lesson, which the complaint says was “organized and operated by Club Med resort personnel.” When she got down to the beach, Martin signed in with the sailing staff at their designated spot next to Sharkey’s, an open-air grill and beach bar for Club Med guests, according to the complaint.
It says Martin was assigned to her own Hobie Cat, a small catamaran, which she sailed alone, without incident, under the supervision of a Club Med instructor. But bad weather was approaching, and the instructor told Martin to head back in, the complaint states.
“Under normal protocol, guests returning from a sailing session are assisted back to shore by the Club Med sailing team, who retrieve the boats at the end of the sessions, take control of the vessels upon their return and [sail them up onto] the beach,” it explains. “At no time are guests required to leave the boat prior to reaching the shore.”
This time, because of the impending weather conditions, the routine was a bit different, according to the complaint.
“Ms. Martin was approximately 75 feet from the shore when a member of the Club Med sailing team shouted instructions at her from another boat ordering her to jump off the boat into open water rather than guiding the vessel and Ms. Martin safely back to shore in the customary manner,” the complaint says. “... Club Med resort employees took no safety precautions to ensure that the 75 feet of water which Ms. Martin was required to swim through was safe and free from dangerous sea predators, especially sharks.”
Shortly after diving in, Martin was attacked, the complaint alleges. Yet, it argues, there were no “urgent” weather conditions that day that required Martin to disembark so far from land.
“Ms. Martin did not assume the risk of a shark bite because she was aboard a boat and did not intend to enter open water,” the complaint states. “It was only after being ordered to jump off the Hobie Cat… by Club Med resort employees that she entered the open water.”
Shark attacks in the Turks and Caicos are extremely rare, researchers say. However, they do happen.
Last year, a 55-year-old Canadian tourist had both of her hands bitten off when she tried to take a selfie with a 6-foot bull shark off Providenciales, according to local authorities. The woman’s husband jumped into the hip-deep water and wrestled the shark off of her – reportedly preventing it from attacking a second time – while his wife managed to get herself to dry land, where she collapsed before being rushed to the hospital.
In 2023, a 22-year-old Connecticut woman snorkeling in Grace Bay had her foot bitten off by a Caribbean reef shark. A boat captain retrieved the woman’s foot, but doctors in Miami were unable to reattach it, according to reports.
A year later, professional kiteboarder Lucas Arsenault lost his right leg to a tiger shark that attacked him about a mile off the northern coast of Providenciales, while he snorkeled with friends and family. He later said he could hear his own bones shattering as the shark bit down, and conceded that he “shouldn’t have survived that.”
Martin is now seeking damages to be determined by a jury, of no less than $500,000, plus lawyers’ fees and court costs.
