The widow of a British man killed by a shark in the Seychelles has paid tribute to her "handsome and caring" husband.
Gemma Redmond said she and her husband Ian were "having so much fun" on their dream honeymoon in the Indian Ocean archipelago before it turned to disaster yesterday.
In an emotional tribute, she said: "Myself, our families and our friends are devastated and shocked by what has happened. The loss of Ian has left a gaping hole in our hearts that will never be filled.
"He was always calm and collected, strong and brave, witty and intelligent, handsome and caring, a remarkable individual who will be deeply and sorely missed. We are privileged and proud to have shared our lives with him."
Mr Redmond, 30, from Lancashire, was savaged by the shark off Anse Lazio beach on Praslin, the second largest island in the Seychelles.
One onlooker described his widow saying she "still had hope" for her husband while he lay on the sand with horrific injuries after the attack.
Earlier this month a 36-year-old French tourist was killed by a shark in the same area.
Government officials have issued a ban on swimming in certain areas until the killer fish is captured.
Mrs Redmond said in a statement released by the Foreign Office: "My husband and my best friend was tragically killed yesterday. I loved him so much and he was a very special husband, a thoughtful son and a devoted brother.
"He worked tirelessly to give us both a wonderful married life and home and I want to thank him for nine years of joy.
"We were having so much fun and we were so excited about our future together."
It was reported that the parents of Mr Redmond and his wife were travelling to the Seychelles following the attack.
Jeanne Vargiolu, 56, owner of a nearby restaurant, said she went to the beach after hearing ambulance sirens to find a French doctor treating the man and "a lot of police officers" surrounding him.
She said police told her the man had lost one arm, had a badly damaged leg and holes in his chest and stomach from shark bites.
"I saw his wife talking to about five people - I think one was English - that she still had hope he was still alive," she said.
She added: "They were trying to help him but they could not get him alive."
Police spokesman Jean Toussaint said the attack happened shortly before 5pm local time while Mr Redmond was swimming.
He said: "We discovered that the British citizen was badly injured on the hips and the arms. He was assisted medically but unfortunately he could not make it.
"We haven't got the autopsy report yet but he definitely lost a lot of blood."
He said Mr Redmond lost an arm in the attack and was taken to hospital, but could not be saved.
"He had no chance of surviving because of the nature of the injuries," he added.
Mr Toussaint confirmed that Mr Redmond and his wife were in the second week of their honeymoon and had been due to fly home on Sunday.
He said "a big effort" was being made to catch the shark.
"We had this first incident two weeks ago and for the local community it was a freak incident because it had never been reported before around the islands. It took everybody by surprise," he said.
Until this month the last recorded fatal shark attack in the Seychelles was in 1963.
Ms Vargiolu said no-one swam in the sea after yesterday's tragedy as they were "in shock".
Her family have lived on the beach for 36 years and she said the two shark attacks this month were the first she had seen.
"It must be the same shark," she said.
Chantal Andre, who works at Anse Lazio's beach restaurant, saw the attack and told the Daily Mail the man's wife did not cry and seemed to be in shock when she accompanied her to hospital.
The newspaper said many of the beaches and snorkelling spots close to Praslin were closed yesterday.
Director for tourism Alain St Ange told the newspaper: "We are taking this very seriously. If there is a rogue shark out there we will try to catch it.
"We have requested shark experts from South Africa to come over to Seychelles to help us identify the type of shark it could be, but this kind of thing has never ever happened in Seychelles before."
Seychelles minister for home affairs and environment Joel Morgan held an emergency meeting in the capital, Victoria.
Praslin is the location of the Vallee de Mai Unesco World Heritage Site, where the rare coco-de-mer tree grows.
It lies 27,9 miles (45km) north of Mahe, the largest island in the archipelago, and measures 6.2 miles (10km) by 2.3 miles (3.7km), according to the official tourism website for the Seychelles.
The Seychelles is one of the most popular exotic destinations for British honeymooners, lying in the Indian Ocean between the Tropic of Capricorn and the equator.
It has warm weather, white sand beaches and the opportunity for seclusion, luxury and romance.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent their honeymoon on North Island, four years after they took a week-long break on the island of Desroches.
A bride has been widowed on her honeymoon in the Seychelles after her husband was killed in a shark attack.
Gemma Houghton, 27, from Wigan, is believed to have been sunbathing on the beach when husband Ian Redmond, 30, was savaged.
Mr Redmond died after the attack off Anse Lazio beach on Praslin, the second largest island in the Indian Ocean archipelago.
One onlooker said she saw the victim’s wife saying she ‘still had hope’ for her husband while he lay on the beach with horrific injuries. Earlier this month, a 36-year-old French tourist was killed by a shark in the same area.
Government officials have issued a ban on swimming in certain areas until the shark is captured.
The Foreign Office confirmed the latest victim was Ian Martin Redmond, from Lancashire.
"We are providing consular assistance to the next of kin," a Foreign Office spokesman said.
A neighbour of the Houghton family in Dalton, a village in the countryside outside Wigan, said that Gemma’s parents were flying out to the Seychelles today.
Jeanne Vargiolu, 56, owner of a nearby restaurant, said she went to the beach after hearing ambulance sirens to find a French doctor treating the man and ‘a lot of police officers’ surrounding him.
She said police told her the man had lost one arm, had a badly damaged leg and holes in his chest and stomach from shark bites.
"I saw his wife talking to about five people – I think one was English – that she still had hope he was still alive," she said.
She added: "They were trying to help him but they could not get him alive."
Police spokesman Jean Toussaint said the attack happened shortly before 5pm local time while Mr Redmond was swimming.
He said: "We discovered that the British citizen was badly injured on the hips and the arms. He was assisted medically but unfortunately he could not make it.
"We haven’t got the autopsy report yet but he definitely lost a lot of blood."
He said Mr Redmond lost an arm in the attack and was taken to hospital, but could not be saved.
"He had no chance of surviving because of the nature of the injuries," he added.
Mr Toussaint confirmed that Mr Redmond and his wife were in the second week of their honeymoon and had been due to fly home on Sunday.
He said ‘a big effort’ was being made to catch the shark.
"We had this first incident two weeks ago and for the local community it was a freak incident because it had never been reported before around the islands."
Mr Toussaint said that the fatal shark attack on the French tourist two weeks ago was treated as a freak occurrence, although warnings were put out via the media.
"The first incident two weeks ago, it was a freak incident in the sense that no attacks had been reported in or around the coastal areas since something close to 50 years back. It was a one-off incident.
"But then there was a second attack in two weeks and it changed the whole complexion of things. So there is a ban on swimming in areas close to where the attack happened yesterday."
Search teams are still trying to find the animal, he said, and discover what species it is by examining a tooth they recovered.
Mr Redmond's father, Stephen, told the Evening Standard: "It's devastating. The last time we saw them they were so happy."
His uncle, Ken Houghton, told the newspaper: "Ian was a really nice guy and well-liked by everybody. He always did the right thing and they made a super couple, very much in love.
"I can honestly say their wedding was the best wedding I've ever been to. It was perfect."
The Rev Tim Barton, who married the couple at St Michael's Church, in the village of Dalton, Lancs, just a few hundred yards from the bride's family home, said: "Myself and the whole community are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic accident."
Mr Barton, who knows the family as the parents of the bride are both active in the church, added: "Ian and Gemma are well-known and well-loved members of the community and our thoughts and prayers are with Gemma, her parents and the rest of Ian's family at this time.
"I know that the church and the whole community will work together to support Gemma and her parents in the difficult days to come."
Stuart Haynes, media manager for the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool, said: ""The wedding was quite a big occasion for the village and for it to suddenly turn to tragedy in such an unexpected way, people are still trying to take it in.
"Reverend Barton has had lots of telephone calls from parishioners expressing their shock and concern.
"The church and the wider community will do all we can to support the family."
Mrs Redmond is understood to work as a primary school teacher in Lancashire, while her husband was an IT specialist.
The family of Mr Redmond were too upset to talk to reporters at their home in Nelson, Lancs, and neighbours were also in tears.
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I have the greatest sympathy for the wife and family of mr Redmond,But, I am disappointed that the shark that attacked him will be targetted and killed.. We must remember that when you enter an environment where really we do not belong we run all sorts of risks. The shark is not at fault and should be left alone.. What will happen i fear is that dozens or even hundreds of sharks will be killed in an tto catch the offender which by now may be miles away.. again, greatest sypathy for Mr Redmond
What a terrible thing to happen, especially to a young person on honeymoon. I feel so sorry for his wife, family members and friends. Being Australian, I never go in the ocean, because it is home to sharks and other sea-life, It says in the article that authorities in the Seychelles are hunting for the shark. Silly really, because how can they be sure exactly which shark is the culprit and let's face it, sharks belong in the ocean and it is people who should be aware of the danger.
Unfortunately I am agree with you. That is a tourist area on which hundreds of family relay on surviving. Mankind has the top priority to survive above all. So those area must be made a completely shark free zone to protect people whetever it takes to. You don't neceserily need to kill them, you can get killer whale to help them to feed by yammy shark dinner. What do you think ?
Very tragic and my condolences go out to Gemma and all of the Redmond family....
@ anis reham
The sharks inhabited the ocean before man, and so therefore before tourism.
I understand the need for tourism, and there are other ways and means to keep the tourism to this beautiful area without killing the animals/fish/marine life who inhabit the ocean.
I would not let this incident stop me from visiting, I would not however go into the ocean now untill further measues were in place.
With regard to not killing them.....but letting the killer whales have a 'yammy shark dinner', I will presume you meant yummy... isnt that the same thing...giving the shark to another creature to eat? and letting it do your dirty work for you.
Sharks are not the preferred food of killer whales
Knee jerk reactions usually come from the less educated of our species.
my sympathy to the persons involved.but as mentioned....
when we decide to go into the seas and oceans in exotic places we forget that it is another world.The sea life creatures live in that world not humans !!
sharks are built for two things in their lives,killing other sea creatures and to re-produce. the shark does not recognise anything other that food.if i were lucky enougth to be able to vist a exotic location that has the dangers of sharks and other creatures that kill,i wouldnt even think about going in the water.
And as for hunting this shark,WHY ????
the animal was only doing what it is designed to do .
We all know the risks of swimming in the ocean and I would have thought that if this were a tourist beach then then the sensible thing to do would be to create safe bathing areas within shark netting. If this beach has previously been troublesome then the authorities had a duty of care to warn people or make it safe. If they then choose to go ahead and swim then that is their own choice. My profound sympathies are for his wife and his family in this terrible tragedy but let's not blame the shart as I doubt he or his wife would.
I wish to send my deepest sympathy to the young bride and also to the families of this newlywed couple.
OH, ALMIGHTY FATHER
GIVE BOTH FAMILIES AND MR: REDMONDS WIFE PEACE IN THEIR HOUR OF NEED
GIVE THEM GUIDENCE AND FULFILMENT AT THIS TERIBLE TIME AMEN.
John Adler(Manchester)
Sympathy during these times seem to be soley aimed at the living. Well the one who I feel really sorry for here is Mr. Redmond the deceased.
i can't beleive some of the tripe disrespectfull bickering some people are coming out with on this story. As stated, the last shark related death on the island was back in the sixties. This and the frenchman earlier were nothing more than freak accidents and for the safety of the people on the island this shark has to be caught and dealt with. Sharks are territorial creatures and return to waters they have found food in. My deepest sympathy to Mrs Redmond and to Mr Redmonds familly.
total sympathy for the wife and family, a horrible thing to happen when you are just starting your lives together.
I live on Praslin 6 months of the year having built a house there. I see white-tip reef sharks about every third time I snorkel off the house. I've never felt threatened. When diving sometimes there are grey reef shark off Marianne Island in a group of up to forty - again no problems at all. The only other shark are Whale Shark in Nov. which eat plankton and Nurse shark - big but eat shell-fish.
This is a total freak and the Seychelles Tourist Board and Govt. are very responsible bodies who are making sound decisions about actions needed. Also there are no irresponsible Dive Schools on Praslin that feed sharks and encourage them to approach people... not uncommon elsewhere in the world unfortunately e.g Red Sea areas.
Sadly this shark, and it will be the same shark that killed the Frenchman a fortnight ago, needs to be caught and killed. I've spoken to friends on Praslin today who are experienced divers, and committed environmentalists, they confirm that it will likely be an Oceanic White-tip or other aggressive species that has strayed into local waters. It may continue to attack until stopped. The two attacks were two weeks apart but only a matter of a fifty or so metres apart.
The Redmond family must be bereft, my heart-felt sympathy.
Sympathy to the family.. But:
Lets go around killing all dangerous wildlife, just in case us oh so important humans get injured or killed, I'm sorry but if one person was killed then a notice or few should have been put up by the auhtorities to warn people, if you ignore it you take the risk!
Perhaps we should kill all sharks, just in case or (another recent one) all polar bears just so people can enjoy themselves and have a jolly in their habitat.. How about I pitch up in your back garden and start poking around etc, I guess you wouldn't like it and would do everything you could to get rid of me, just like the wild animals do!
Did I just step into lala land? Of course you kill the shark.
I wish to send my deepest sympathy to the young bride and also to the families of this newlywed couple
I think its very tragic but as was told to me when I still had both my legs if you are in the water you are on the menu.