Shark terror on the shore: The old woman lost her life!

According to AFP, the attack on Tuesday took place on Orient Beach in the city of KuGompo, formerly known as East London. While the woman who was attacked lost her life, the municipality closed the nearby beaches and called on the public not to enter the water.

"It has been confirmed that a shark attack occurred at Orient Beach this morning, resulting in a tragic incident," the statement said.

Police reported that when they arrived at the scene in the early hours of the morning, they encountered the body of a 65-year-old woman with "open wounds".

Local media reported that the woman swims regularly and was swimming with a group when the attack occurred.

A local community group said other swimmers spotted a shark's tail and fins. “The victim suffered serious injuries to the right side of his arm and leg,” the group said in a post on Facebook.

While fatal shark attacks are rare worldwide, South Africa has a history of fatal encounters along its long coastline.

According to the University of Florida International Shark Attack File, there will be 65 shark attack cases worldwide in 2025. This number was 47 the previous year. Nine of these cases resulted in death, one of which occurred in South Africa.

Researchers say encounters may be influenced by a number of factors, including growing coastal populations, increased use of marine waters, environmental changes and shifts in the distribution of sharks and their prey.