Sombre mood over Waihī beach as community processes shark attack
Friday, 8 January 2021
As officials hunt for more information about the shark that attacked, and killed, a woman at a beach near Waihī, holidaymakers who witnessed the attack say their hearts go out to the victim’s family and friends.
The beach seemed to mourn with the rest of the community on Friday as raindrops slowly pelted the black sand, the grey sombre sky reflecting the mood felt by all on the beach.
A lone coastguard member and police officer could be seen watching the waves break, coffee in hand, and everyone appeared to still be processing the event that had unfolded.
Holidaymakers walking down the beach moved slowly, and were few and far between.
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Emergency services were called to the beach about 5.10pm on Thursday after reports of a woman being injured in the water.
On Friday police said that while they could not confirm the exact cause of the woman's death yet, indications were that she had been injured by a shark.
Eastern Waikato area commander, Inspector Dean Anderson, said they would release the woman's name when appropriate and after consultation with her family.
Stuff understands the victim had bite wounds to at least one of her legs.
Despite emergency services performing vigorous CPR on the victim, who was in her early 20s, she died at the scene.
Anderson said a post mortem, to be carried out on Friday, would provide them with a clearer understanding of what happened.
“However, the Coroner will ultimately determine the cause of her death,' he said.
“We appreciate her death was extremely traumatic for those who were at Waihī Beach yesterday and we are offering Victim Support services to anyone who requires it.”
Meanwhile, a rāhui, or temporary prohibition, has been placed around the area by local iwi.
This extends from the North end of Waihī Beach to the Bowentown Heads and in the harbour to Ongare, Tuapiro and Tanner PT, a social media post by Otawhihi Marae Trust said.
The collection of shellfish and all fishing is prohibited during the rāhui, which is expected to be enforced until 7am on January 15.
Witnesses describe aftermath of the attack
A man, who did not wish to be named, said he saw the attack unfold and his heart really went out to friends and family of the woman.
He said the woman was swimming straight out in front of the lifeguard flags, but she was quite far out from the beach.
“I could hear some screams and then I saw the IRB go out to get her.
“Obviously her friends were remarkably distraught.'
The lifeguards got her in quickly and were trying their hardest to keep her alive with CPR he said.
“They were trying really, really hard.”
The man has been holidaying in the area for years and is also a fisherman who regularly fishes in that section of the ocean, and he said his first thought was that she had been pulled out in a rip.
Sharks in the area were not uncommon, and he said one bay over he had heard of a baby great white shark being caught in December.
Another witness, Elliot Hall, said a local resident told him the victim was swimming just past the waves when she started screaming.
Lifeguards were quickly at the scene, and pulled the woman out of the water.
Hall arrived when paramedics had turned up, and wondered what was going on. He said he watched paramedics perform CPR on the woman for more than 20 minutes as family and friends gathered around her.
Tadhg Stopford, said a man and a woman next to the victim appeared to be in “shocked distress” as an IV went into her and vigorous CPR continued to be applied.
Despite efforts, the woman was not able to be revived.
Stopford said after the CPR stopped, the pair’s shock deepened and the man walked into the sea, where he stayed for several minutes. “I felt … his loss,” Stopford said.
The victim’s death will be referred to the coroner.
‘Just so tragic’
Kina Scollay, a founding member of New Zealand's Great White Shark Project, said news of the attack was “absolutely terrible”.
“It’s a very rare thing. There’s plenty of sharks in the ocean not hunting people, it doesn’t happen very often.”
Scollay said at this time of year at Waihī Beach, there generally were a lot of sharks around the shallows, but they were almost exclusively sharks that were not likely to hurt people.
White sharks were also around coastlines at this time of year, he said.
“It is unusual. At this time of year thousands of people are swimming off that area. In general, you shouldn’t have to worry about sharks.
“It’s just so tragic. My thoughts are with the woman’s family.”
Waihī Beach is a coastal town with a population of about 2700 people. The main beach is 10 kilometres long, making it a popular spot for holidaymakers.
Shark attacks in New Zealand
New Zealand’s last fatal shark attack was in 2013.
When swimming at Muriwai Beach in west Auckland, filmmaker Adam Hunter Strange, 47, was killed while swimming after being attacked by a number of sharks while training for a race.
In 2009, a capsized kayaker was apparently bitten by a great white shark in Whangamata, just north of Waihī Beach at the base of the Coromandel peninsula.
There have been 12 fatal shark attacks in New Zealand since the mid-1800s.