Mass. woman bitten by shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas

ABACO ISLANDS, Bahamas — A Massachusetts woman who was spear fishing in the Bahamas was bitten by a shark over the weekend and could lose some of her fingers.

The 32-year-old woman, who lives in Massachusetts and the Bahamas, had just speared a hog fish and was swimming back to the surface when she was bitten.

The injuries to her hand were extensive, according to the local fire and rescue chief.

"It's just unfortunate," Colin Albury, Chief of Abaco Fire and Rescue, said. "Just one of those things where she was spearfishing and the shark came from nowhere. A lot of people don't realize that when you are spearfishing grouper -- hog-fish give off a sound when they are injured. And that sound is like ringing the dinner bell for the sharks."

The woman was fishing Sunday afternoon near Treasure Cay Beach on the Abaco Islands when a black tip shark clamped down onto her left hand.

Bahamian fire fighters say they got the call reporting it around 2 p.m. Sunday.

"Real tough lady," Chief Albury said."But in severe pain -- naturally -- to the mutilation of her hand."

Chief Albury told Boston 25 News Monday morning the family is well-known in the area and has a house on the island.

The woman had to be airlifted to Fort Lauderdale to the hospital.

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