Shark Kills Woman Off South Africa's Coast, Beaches Closed

A 65-year-old woman has died in a shark attack off South Africa's southeastern coast, prompting the closure of two beaches. Police were called to Orient Beach in the city of Gqeberha (formerly East London) around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, where they discovered the woman's body. An inquest into the death has been initiated.

The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality confirmed the fatal attack, stating it resulted in the "tragic loss of a swimmer." A fellow swimmer, Mike Loewe, told state broadcaster SABC that members of an open-water swimming group attempted to assist the woman after she signaled distress, bringing her ashore. A medic within the group administered aid, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Loewe described the victim as a recently retired nuclear radiographer and a musician.

In response to the incident, Orient Beach and the nearby Eastern Beach have been closed until further notice. The municipality has also issued warnings for all other local beaches, urging beachgoers to adhere to safety advisories.

South Africa is known for its great white shark populations and shark tourism. However, shark attacks are considered rare. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History's International Shark Attack File, there were 29 unprovoked bites recorded in the country between 2012 and 2021, averaging about three per year, with six of those proving fatal.