Shark kills woman swimming off popular beach in South Africa

October 20, 2026 / 7:59 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

A woman died after being mauled by a shark while swimming off a popular beach on South Africa's southeastern coast on Tuesday, witnesses and authorities said.

Fatal shark attacks are uncommon worldwide but South Africa has a history of deadly encounters along its long coastline.

Tuesday's attack was at Orient Beach in KuGompo City, previously known as East London.

Police said they were called to the scene at around 7:00 am local time, where they found the body of a 65-year-old woman with "open wounds."

Local media reported the woman was a regular swimmer and had been swimming with a group when the attack occurred. A local community group said other swimmers had spotted a shark's tail and fin. The group said the woman sustained "severe injuries to the right side of her arm and leg."

After the attack, the municipality closed nearby beaches and urged the public to stay out of the water.

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

The incident comes about one month after a man was…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/world/