A male is killed by great white shark in shallow water off coast of South Africa

9/25/2022

A screaming woman was killed in a horrific attack by a Great White Shark as she took an early morning dip this morning while celebrating a Bank Holiday weekend.

The 39-year-old woman was in the shallows when a shark grabbed her in its jaws. Rescue services were called to Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa.

Third to be attacked and killed by a Great White in the bay in the past 11 years. The woman is said to have been on holiday and was celebrating a bank holiday.

The 39-year-old victim was in shallow water when the deadly predator came in fast from deep water and grabbed her in its jaws close to fellow swimmers.

The woman who was on the edge of the group let out a scream as the shark hit her and bit into her flash and disappeared under the water.

The National Sea Rescue Institute was called as screaming swimmers and surfers cleared the water at Central Beach, Plettenberg Bay, South Africa, just before 8am.

An NSRI inshore rescue craft was launched and sped to the scene and quickly found the savaged body of the blood-soaked woman about 50 feet out from shore.

The tragic victim is from Cape Town and is thought to have been on holiday in the popular beach resort which is 300 miles from Cape Town on the Garden Route.

The Bitou Municipality which oversees the beach shut down the Bay and has put up signs and posted volunteers to warn people to stay out of the water.

The woman who was believed to be on holiday was the third to be viciously attacked and killed by a Great White Shark in Plettenberg Bay in the past 11 years.

An eye witness told rescuers: ‘It was a bit cloudy but there was some sun out and there were quite a few people taking an early dip as the temperature was quite warm.

‘Then I just heard lots of screaming and saw people running out the water. I guessed it was a shark attack but I was quite a way away and then the lifeboat turned up.

‘I then heard a woman had been attacked while swimming only two or three waves out so it was quite shallow but it was said nothing could be done to help her’ she said.

Just last June stockbroker and married dad Bruce Wolov who was an acclaimed long distance swimmer and keen snorkeller was torn apart just off-shore.

And in 2011 local carpenter and keen surfer Tim Van Heerden was on his board when a Great White Shark attacked while he was waiting to catch a wave.

It badly bit him in the attack and he was knocked into the sea and as he grabbed his board the Great White tore into him a second time with a final and fatal bite.

Bitou Municipality Mayor David Swart said: ‘We have never had a fatality at Plettenberg until 2011 and now we have had three with two in the last three months.

‘We are researching into and looking at putting up a shark barrier and increased warning signage and starting our lifeguard’s season a month earlier than usual.

‘There seems to be no change in the shark’s behaviour in this area so it is a bit of a mystery why we have had three fatal attacks in such a short space of time.

‘Our thoughts go out to the woman and her family at this time’ he said.