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Tag: australian shark attack

  • Australian Shark Attack Kills Woman, Leaves No Trace

    A woman reportedly “taken by a shark” off a popular east coast Australian beach Thursday is presumed dead.

    Christine Armstrong, 63, was doing what she does on a daily basis — completing a swim from a wharf to the shore with her local swimming club.

    During the swim, Armstrong complained of back pain and told her husband she was heading back to shore. She never made it back.

    According to police, she was attempting to swim 600 meters (2,970 feet) between the wharf and beach near the village of Tathra, 340 kilometers (210 miles) south of Sydney, when the attack occurred.

    “It’s a beautiful little coastal village and this is one of those sad things that can happen,” said local council general manager Leanne Barnes.

    The swimming group later said they noticed a large 11-foot shark swimming nearby. The group, fearing for their safety, stayed close together as they swam back to the beach club.

    Police Inspector Jason Edmunds said another witness on some nearby rocks spotted a large shark attacking something in the water roughly 150 yards offshore, which he believed to be a swimmer.

    “The community is in shock, and the husband is taking it hard, as he has been with her since they were kids,” said Edmunds.

    “Cancer, heart attacks — those are all things we fear but expect, but who gets taken by a shark?”

    Police said a helicopter and boat were being used to search for remains.

    It is believed the woman was a lifeguard, according to a post on the Surf Life Saving New South Wales website.

    The other lifeguards she was swimming with are receiving counseling, the post said.

    “The thoughts of all Surf Lifesavers in NSW are with the victim’s family and friends and also with the members still involved in the search effort,” said the post. “Tathra beach is closed and although nearby beaches north and south are unpatrolled at this time of year, Surf Life Saving is advising swimmers to stay clear of the water until further notice.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Australian Shark Attack Kills Woman

    Australian Shark Attack Kills Woman

    A shark attack in Australia has left a woman dead. The woman was swimming with a group of friends near the village of Tathra when she decided to try to swim from the wharf to the beach. Hundreds of swimmers visit the area to take part in the Thathra Wharf to Waves event and swim the same stretch each year. The total distance between the wharf and the beach is about 2,970 feet.

    During the swim, the woman who was said to be in her 60’s, was attacked. Details of the attack were not available and the woman’s name has not been released. A search is underway to find the remains of the woman and to possibly locate the shark. Police are not sure what species of shark is responsible for the attack or how big the shark is.

    Local council general manager Leanne Barnes said the victim was part of a group of Tathra locals who meet every morning to swim to the wharf and back.

    Shark attacks are common in Australia, and fatal attacks are occurring more often. In November, two men were killed by sharks on both the east and west coasts. The remains of several people have also been found in the area. One set of remains appeared to have shark bites, but police were not sure if the bites occurred before or after death or if a shark attack was the cause of death.The area where the recent fatal attack occurred is a popular tourist destination and busy beach area.

    “It’s a beautiful little coastal village and this is one of those sad things that can happen,” a local resident said.

    Shark attacks can happen without warning and most experts believe that shark attacks are cases of mistaken identity. Swimmers and waders can look like seals or other animals that sharks commonly feed on, and they mistakenly attack people, thinking they are prey.

    This is also one of the reasons most shark attacks are not fatal. When the shark realizes it has bitten something it is not familiar with, it spits it back out or releases the victim.

    If you are planning a trip to the beach this year, stay alert and swim in areas that are monitored by lifeguards.

    What type of shark do you think is responsible for the attack?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons