South Africa: a 65-year-old swimmer killed by a shark

South Africa A 65-year-old woman was killed by a shark off the southeast coast of South Africa, according to the police and municipal authorities. Law enforcement was called to Orient Beach in the city of KuGompo around 7 a.m., where they discovered the body of the swimmer, said Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, spokesperson for the police of the Eastern Cape province, to the Associated Press. An investigation has been opened regarding the circumstances of this death. "The Buffalo City metropolitan municipality is deeply saddened to confirm that a fatal shark attack occurred this morning at Orient Beach, resulting in the tragic loss of a swimmer," said municipal spokesperson Luzuko Buku in a statement. Mike Loewe, another swimmer, told the public broadcaster SABC that members of an open-water swimming group responded to the distress call of the woman and brought her to shore. A rescuer from the group attempted to save her, but she was declared dead on the spot, he specified. "She liked to swim alone," said Mike Loewe. "She was brave." The victim was a recently retired nuclear radiologist and a musician according to Mike Loewe, who indicated that her death has upset the swimming community. The municipality has closed Orient Beach and the neighboring beach of Eastern Beach until further notice. They will only reopen them after safety assessments and the opinion of experts. Local authorities have also urged swimmers to only swim in authorized areas during lifeguards' hours, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. South Africa is known for its large great white sharks and shark tourism, but attacks are rare there. According to municipal records, the last fatal shark attack in KuGompo dates back to 1997 and the last reported attack occurred in 2023.