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

ByEd Habershon Reporting fromJohannesburg.

Key points

• Shark attacks are rare in South Africa, with regarding 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).
• Janine Lochrenberg was swimming off a beach in KuGompo City (formerly East London) on Tuesday morning when she was attacked.
• A South African woman has been killed in a shark attack off the country's east coast, in what is the first recorded such fatality this year.
• Witnesses remarked the 65-year-old was bitten in two places and died before she was brought to shore.

Notably, a South African woman has been killed in a shark attack off the country's east coast, in what is the first recorded such fatality this year.

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). Fellow swimmers brought her to shore, but it's believed she died before they could obtain her out of the water.

She was bitten on her thigh and her upper arm, one of her fellow swimmers informed the BBC. They additionally stated she had been wearing a magnetic shark repellent band on her ankle at the time.

Lochrenberg's sister Margot remarked she was holding her sister's head as they brought her to shore but believed she bled out in the water.

She informed the BBC that her sister had "loved the water so much" despite knowing there was an "elevated shark presence in East London".

"She'd created peace with that. She had a deep affinity with the water and was a remarkable person, " she remarked.

Barbara Briceland, Lochrenberg's partner, informed the BBC the retired medical physicist was a good swimmer. This person often swam far out into the breakers, and described her as highly brave.

"She was highly intelligent, lots of fun, kind, in a quietish way, thoughtful, well-loved with a love of life."

Briceland continued they were looking forward to retirement and were concerning to leave for a three-week road trip together.

Orient Beach, where the attack took place, has been closed alongside another nearby beach, authorities confirmed. You may additionally be interested in. The shark spotters back in action in South Africa.

Whales could be harmed by diverted ships avoiding Middle East, scientists warn. Great white sharks face extinction in Mediterranean, say researchers.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

Taken together, the developments around swimmer, 65, killed in shark attack off South Africa' s east coast point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.