Woman Fatally Attacked by Shark at Orient Beach in South Africa
A 65-year-old woman was killed by a shark while swimming with a group at Orient Beach near KuGompo City, prompting local authorities to close nearby beaches.
A 65-year-old woman died after being attacked by a shark while swimming with a group at Orient Beach in KuGompo City, South Africa, on Tuesday morning. Police arrived at the scene around 7:00 a.m. local time and found the victim with severe wounds to her right arm and leg.
Witnesses reported seeing a shark's tail and fin before the incident. One witness told the public broadcaster SABC, "We all realized she'd been bitten by a shark, and she was in a very bad way. The bites were very severe, but there were only two, one on her thigh and one on her upper arm."
The municipality issued a statement confirming the shark attack and ordered the closure of nearby beaches, urging the public to stay out of the water.
The attack adds to a rise in unprovoked shark bites worldwide, with 65 incidents reported in 2025, including nine fatalities, according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File. South Africa recorded one fatal unprovoked attack last year and two in 2022.