Shark tooth fragment confirms NYC woman was attacked by a great white that 'mistook her for seal' due to wet suit
The shark which killed an NYC woman off the coast of Maine has been confirmed to be a great white. According to officials who spoke out on Tuesday, July 28, the shark is still out there. Fashion executive, Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, had been swimming with her daughter around 20 yards off Bailey Island on Monday, July 27, when the shark attacked Holowach.
The incident took place around 3.30 pm and left Holowach, a retired president of the handbag company Kipling North America, dead. The shark had left behind a fragment of a tooth which allowed scientists to identify it as a great white, officials said. A witness saw the chilling and horrifying attack unfold from his second-story office which overlooks the island's Mackerel Cove. Holowach was seen sporting a black wet suit while the younger woman was seen sporting a blue one piece.
The witness, Tom Whyte, told The Boston Globe that the mother-daughter duo had swum out and were just laughing and enjoying the water. It was then that the victim suddenly dipped under the water and began to flail her arms. The woman who was with Holowach saw her surface for a moment and started to swim back to shore as fast as possible. She then collapsed to her hands and knees and began to scream for help. Whyte shared that neighbors rushed to help the woman and the US Coast Guard launched a boat to try and rescue Holowach. At that time, a kayaker also rushed to try and help Holowach but was extremely distraught and unable to rescue her.
Witnesses said that Holowach floated to the shore where paramedics had pronounced her dead. Whyte said, "It’s all very surreal." Maine officials said in a conference that given the color of Holowach's wetsuit, she was likely mistaken for a seal." The shark which killed her has not been seen again though local swimmers and paddleboarders have been warned to stay clear of areas where seals and schools of fish are since they are the prime bait for sharks. According to Maine Marine Patrol Commissioner, Patrick Keliher, "It’s the presence of seals that are really the drive here. We are aware that there have been a few reports of seals in the area who have had bite marks."
A friend and relative spoke to The Post and said that if anyone could have fought off the shark, it was Holowach. Her cousin, Steve Morano, said, "She used to swim out there every day. She was like an Olympic-status swimmer. She was an incredible athlete." "I am shocked. I just can’t believe it. … We’re devastated. It’s so bizarre. It’s like out of a movie," Morano added. Maine officials revealed that Holowach had been from NYC and had earlier lived in Chelsea in Manhattan. Officials added that Holowach was a beloved member of the community where she and her husband had a summer home. Maine Marine Patrol Maj. Robert Beal said, "Julie and her husband are well-known, very respected individuals. The community … is trying to process yesterday’s event."