In brief
Janine Lochrenberg was killed by a shark attack while swimming near KuGompo City (East London) on Tuesday morning. Witnesses reported bite marks on her thigh and upper arm, and she died before reaching shore. South Africa has recorded fewer than ten fatal shark attacks since 2012. Authorities closed Orient Beach following the incident.
South African woman killed in shark attack off east coast
Janine Lochrenberg, 65, drowned on Tuesday morning when a shark bit her twice while she was swimming off the coast of KuGompo City (formerly East London). The incident is the first fatal shark attack reported in South Africa this year.
Witnesses said Lochrenberg was bitten on her thigh and upper arm, and that she died before rescue swimmers could bring her to shore. The swimmer was wearing a magnetic shark‑repellent band on her ankle at the time of the attack.
According to the Florida Museum's International Shark Attack File, fewer than ten fatal shark attacks have occurred in the country since 2012, making the incident a rare but tragic event.
Her sister, Margot, told reporters that Lochrenberg loved the water despite the known shark presence in the area and had accepted the risk. Briceland, her partner and a retired medical physicist, described her as a brave, intelligent swimmer who enjoyed long dives into the breakers.
In response, authorities closed Orient Beach and a nearby beach, and issued a warning to swimmers in the region.
