Swimmer, 65, killed in shark attack off South Africa's east coast

South African woman killed in shark attack off east coast

The full report

A 65-year-old South African woman has been killed in a shark attack off the country's east coast, according to the BBC News — World.

Janine Lochrenberg was swimming off a beach in KuGompo City (formerly East London) on Tuesday morning when she was attacked, with witnesses stating she was bitten in two places and died before being brought to shore.

Shark attacks are rare in South Africa, with about 10 fatal ones since 2012, according to the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File.

Lochrenberg was out on a daily morning swim with her local open water swimming club when she was attacked at around 08:00 (06:00 GMT), with fellow swimmers bringing her to shore but believing she died before they could get her out of the water.

She was bitten on her thigh and her upper arm, one of her fellow swimmers told the BBC, and was wearing a magnetic shark repellent band on her ankle at the time.

Lochrenberg's sister Margot described her as having a 'deep affinity with the water' and being a 'remarkable person', despite knowing there was an 'elevated shark presence in East London'.

Orient Beach, where the attack took place, has been closed alongside another nearby beach, authorities confirmed.