Woman killed in shark attack off South Africa's east coast

A woman has died after a shark attacked her during an early morning swim in South Africa. Janine Lochrenberg, 65, was swimming with her open water club near Orient Beach in KuGompo City on October 20 when the attack happened at around 08:00. The shark bit her on the thigh and upper arm. She died from blood loss before her fellow swimmers could bring her to shore. Lochrenberg was wearing a magnetic shark repellent band on her ankle at the time. Local authorities have closed Orient Beach and a nearby beach until further notice, and an inquest into her death has been opened. It was the first recorded fatal shark attack in South Africa in 2024. Fatal attacks in the country are rare, with fewer than ten recorded since 2012.