Cape Town - After months of increased shark presence and alerts in Plettenberg Bay and the Southern Cape coastline, a 39-year-old mother from Cape Town was killed by a shark at Central Beach early on Sunday.
Plettenberg Bay beaches were closed by the Bitou Municipality.
This was the second fatal shark attack to occur in Plettenberg Bay within three months.
In June, Plettenberg Bay businessman Bruce Wolov was killed by a shark at one of the town’s popular swimming beaches, Sanctuary Beach.
Since May, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has been issuing shark alerts and calling on beach users to exercise caution due to the increased inshore shark activity observed along the Southern Cape coastline from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay, and the Eastern Cape coastline from Storms River, Tsitsikamma to Jeffreys Bay.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said: “Preliminary investigation suggests the victim attempted to swim from Beacon Ilse Hotel Beach to Central Beach, which is about 100m away, at about 7.40am on Sunday. Her husband and child were walking on the beach while observing her attempt.”
While she was swimming, a shark attacked her in shallow waters and fatally wounded her. NSRI Plettenberg Bay was then activated and assisted the husband to recover the body of the deceased from the water.
NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon said: “On arrival at the scene, the body of a believed to be 39-year-old female from Cape Town was recovered from the water and brought to the beach. She was declared deceased by paramedics on the scene and, as a result, police opened an inquest docket for further investigation. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the possible cause of death.”
Bitou Municipality executive mayor David Swart conveyed his condolences to the family of the deceased and requested the public to be cautious when engaging in in-water beach activities, given the strong rip currents and the increase in shark activity on beaches.
Bitou communications manager Andile Namntu said the Bitou Council approved private research worth about R30 million on the shark barrier at Central Beach in May.
He said the council hoped the funds would assist in understanding the behaviour of the sharks and improve the municipality’s ability to monitor the coastline to prevent or reduce shark attack incidents.
“At this moment there seems to be more shark activities near our beaches. This is very unusual when compared with previous years. Bitou Municipality has also established a shark committee to work with experienced private sector personnel to assist with limiting such incidents,” Namntu said.
kristin.engel@inl.co.za