Great White shark kills 2 swimmers, mutilated body washes up onto South Africa's La Lucia beach
A man has been found mauled to death by a great white shark while another body is missing on a beach in South Africa on Friday, April 1. The authorities said the body of the swimmer was found washed up on La Lucia beach in Durban, South Africa, after a man taking a walk in the area discovered the decomposing body.
Parts of the unidentified man's right upper arm and right chest area were missing and several shark bites were found on his body, according to medics. The body of another swimmer was also reportedly seen, but couldn't be located as he was washed back out to sea. Durban North South African Police Service is investigating the circumstances of the man’s death.
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South African medical emergency care provider, Netcare 911 Spokesperson Shawn Herbst said the alarm was raised at around 4.30 pm on Friday. "Although authorities will determine the exact cause of death, it is believed the deceased had been predated on following the drowning," Herbst said.
"Reports indicate that while walking on the beach, a man came across the decomposing body of an adult male face down between washed-up flotsam," Herbst continued. "When medics turned the body over for assessments they found that a portion of the right upper arm and right chest were missing with multiple shark bites clearly visible."
"A second body was also found in the shore break, but it had been washed back out to sea by the strong surf before lifeguards arrived on scene." Herbst confirmed that the body has been handed over to Durban SAPS for further investigation.
Meanwhile, the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, which includes Durban, has introduced ‘shark nets’ to protect the swimmers who venture out to sea.
The nets are secured meters below the surface of the ocean to separate human swimmers from sharks approaching the shoreline. The province’s beaches will also raise red flags to warn swimmers or surfers when a shark has been spotted.