Dr Jeffrey Rosenthal, a plastic surgeon, sad of losing girlfriend, Rohina Bhandari, 49, who was killed by a female tiger shark on Thursday in Costa Rica
The groom-to-be of the Wall Street executive who was fatally mauled by a shark off Costa Rica on Thursday claims the diving company did not keep his fiancee safe.
Dr Jeffrey Rosenthal, a plastic surgeon, was grieving over the loss of girlfriend, Rohina Bhandari, 49.
‘Apparently they didn’t have any protection — the divers or the instructors had nothing to ward off any of these fish, sharks,’ he said to the New York Post on Monday.
The WL Ross & Co Senior Private-equity Director was killed on Thursday by a female tiger shark while scuba-diving that also injured a company diver guide.
He added: ‘I don’t understand that aspect of it, that there was no protection for her or for the other guests for that matter.
‘I just feel that the safety precautions they took were not as good as they should have had.’
But the surgeon found comfort knowing his love had been doing something she enjoyed, highlighting dives in Jamaica, the Galapagos Islands and the Bahamas.
He added: ‘She loved seeing the fish. The wildlife fascinated her.’
Rosenthal spoke highly of his Republican girlfriend, ‘a 10-star person’ known for her infection smile.
‘We’d go to an affair or party, and within 5 minutes she’d know everyone in the place,’ he added of the extroverted woman.
‘Apparently they didn’t have any protection — the divers or the instructors had nothing to ward off any of these fish, sharks,’ he said of the diving company, who he blames for the death of his fiancee
At President Trump’s inauguration party, she had managed to get acquainted with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan after meeting his wife in the restroom, according to the surgeon.
Rosenthal remembered his girlfriend for being extroverted and the life of the party
‘She was someone who befriended everyone,’ added Rosenthal.
The two had their first date after Rosenthal had just gotten back from a beach trip.
‘She was all dressed up in makeup and jewelry and was really beautiful, and I’m wearing a pair of shorts, and I’m like, I can’t compete,’ he exclaimed.
‘There was a universe of stars, and she was the brightest.’
He takes it on himself to watch over the director’s seven-year-old golden Labrador, Simba.
‘When we started going out many years ago, the deal was that I accept them both,’ Rosenthal added of a promise he made to Bhandari.
‘And I accepted them with open arms, and a while later she said, “Well when are you going to adopt him as yours,” and I said, “He’s adopted, he’s mine now,” so Simba and I are now together.’
Rosenthal stated that he’s been offered both emotional and financial support since Bhandari’s death.
The surgeon wished for contributions made to the South African based foundation, US Friends of Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center, which Bhandari advocated for.
Rosenthal added that the foundation will name their next new animal after her.
A 49-year-old US female tourist was killed by a tiger shark this week while diving off a Costa Rican island in the Pacific Ocean, the government and local media reported. The tourist has been identified by friends as Rohina Bhandari, 49, a private equity director from New York City
The 49-year-old US female tourist was killed by a tiger shark this week while diving off a Costa Rican island in the Pacific Ocean, the government and local media reported.
The tourist was been identified by friends as Rohina Bhandari, 49, a private equity director from New York City.
News of her death was reported by the New York Daily News late Saturday.
The attack also badly injured the 26-year-old male Costa Rican diving guide leading the group that included Bhandari.
The shark savaged the two on Thursday as they were surfacing after a dive off Cocos Island, a pristine national park located 300 miles off the Costa Rican mainland, the environment ministry said in a statement.
The attack also badly injured the 26-year-old male Costa Rican diving guide leading the group that included Bhandari who suffered fatal bite marks on both of her legs
Bhandari was said to have sustained fatal bite marks on both of her legs.
It stressed the attack was ‘an isolated incident’ and the first one of such seriousness recorded for the island.
According to the Costa Rican newspaper La Nacion, the guide noticed the shark approaching his group underwater and tried to scare it away.
But as they surfaced, the shark went for the American woman, tearing at her legs.
Cocos Island, a Costa Rican island in the Pacific Ocean, is a pristine national park located 300 miles off the Costa Rican mainland
The guide, too, suffered leg injuries.
Park rangers came to assist, as did doctors who happened to be diving in the area and who declared the woman dead.
The injured guide was taken to a hospital, where he was in stable condition and conscious.
He told La Nacion he believed the shark was a female.
Bhandari, a resident of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, was a senior director at WL Ross & Co. LL, a firm founded by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
She was also frequently spotted at charity events throughout the city.
Her death was met with shock and sadness by her friends on Facebook.
Tiger sharks, which have dark stripes on their body when young, are predators often found around Pacific islands. The image above is a stock photo of a tiger shark
‘Unbelievably sad and heartbreaking news that Rohina has died,’ wrote Julie Walker.
‘She was such a wonderful person who loved life. I will always remember her kindness, friendship and our adventures together.’
‘Your kindness and genuine warmth to those of us lucky enough to call you ‘friend’ was a blessing to behold,’ another friend wrote.
Tiger sharks, which have dark stripes on their body when young, are predators often found around Pacific islands.
Unlike many other species of shark, they can be aggressive and account for a large proportion of reported attacks on humans.
Costa Rica, a small Central American nation that boasts both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, relies strongly on its tourism industry, especially visitors from the nearby United States.