A man has died after being bitten multiple times by a shark while swimming off the French Pacific Ocean island of New Caledonia, famed for its idyllic turquoise waters and white sandy beaches, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
The man, believed to be aged about 50, was on a cruise with friends in the south of the archipelago when the tragedy occurred.
He was swimming just metres from the boat when he was attacked by a bull shark, a military police spokesman told local radio on Sunday.
"It was really a savage and sudden attack. Most people on board were health workers, the first aid given was significant but the injuries were such that unfortunately there was not much that could be done," said the spokesman, without giving the dead man's nationality.
New Caledonia, off northeastern Australia, is a French overseas territory but formulates its own tax, labour laws and trade policy.