KUGOMPO CITY, EASTERN CAPE — A fatal shark attack at Orient Beach in KuGompo City has resulted in the indefinite closure of the coastline and heightened safety warnings for beachgoers across the Eastern Cape. The tragic incident, which claimed the life of a 65-year-old female swimmer on Wednesday morning, has prompted immediate intervention and beach closures from local authorities.
The victim, identified by fellow swimmers as 65-year-old Janine Lochrenberg, was swimming with a group from the East London Open Water Swimmers Association at approximately 8:00 a.m. According to eyewitnesses, the water was clean and calm, with a temperature of around 16 degrees Celsius, showing no immediate signs of danger. Lochrenberg, a recently retired nuclear radiographer at Fria and a talented musician, reportedly indicated she was in distress before her companions realized she had been severely bitten.
Mike Low, a fellow swimmer and eyewitness to the rescue attempt, described the harrowing scene. Low noted that the group, which included an Olympian dive swimmer, managed to pull Lochrenberg to the shore where a medic attempted life-saving measures. She was tragically pronounced dead on the beach around 10:00 a.m.
Low observed that the injuries consisted of severe wounds on her thigh and upper arm, suggesting an attack by a large shark estimated to be about 3 meters long. He also noted that Lochrenberg was wearing a magnetic shark deterrent band at the time of the incident, which unfortunately failed to prevent the attack. The open water swimming community has been left devastated by the sudden loss.
In response to the tragedy, the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality has closed both Orient Beach and the adjacent Eastern Beach indefinitely. A spokesperson for the municipality, expressed the city’s deep sadness over the incident and confirmed that precautionary notices have been erected to warn the public.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident where a recreational swimmer was attacked clearly by a shark and sadly lost their life,” he stated. He urged residents and visitors to exercise extreme caution, stay out of the water at the affected beaches, and only swim at designated times when lifeguards are on duty at other locations.
The spokesperson highlighted that the municipality maintains consistent monitoring and shark-spotting protocols. He noted that the last fatal shark attack in the city occurred in 1997, with the most recent non-fatal incident recorded in 2023.
As the city prepares for the upcoming festive season and an influx of holidaymakers, the municipality is implementing additional safety measures to prevent future incidents. He confirmed that processes are already in place to extend lifeguard operating hours to cover early sunrises and to deploy additional personnel, ensuring comprehensive beach monitoring and rapid response capabilities throughout the busy holiday period.
