Shark sighted in waters near to fatal attack at Waihī beach

Friday, 8 January 2021

Eastern regional surf lifesaving manager, Chaz Gibbons-Campbell, talks following fatal shark attack in Bowentown, Waihī.

A shark has been sighted near to where a woman was fatally attacked near Waihī on Thursday.

Stuff understands that a shark was sighted in the waters at the Island View area of Waihī beach, around 4kms from where the woman was bitten, on Friday afternoon.

A source could not confirm, however, if it was the same shark involved in Thursday's fatal attack.

Meanwhile, the entirety of Waihī Beach has now been closed to swimming after earlier being allowed to open.

**READ MORE:

Rescuers are searching for a missing adult and child off Waihi Beach (file photo).

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* Woman dies after shark attack at beach near Waihī

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Lifeguards who were on duty on Thursday are off the beach for a break, Surf Lifesaving Eastern region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said.

Patrols had originally resumed as normal on Friday morning at the North end of Waihī Beach and Island View Reserve. However, the Bowentown end, where the woman died, did not have a flagged swimming area out of respect for the family of the victim, Surf Lifesaving Eastern region lifesaving manager Chaz Gibbons-Campbell said.

However, Gibbons-Campbell said a rāhui, put in place on Thursday night was extended around midday to include the prohibition of swimming.

Originally, it only extended to the collection of shellfish and fishing. The rāhui is expected to be enforced until 7am on January 15.

Emergency services were called to the beach about 5.10pm on Thursday after reports of a woman being injured in the water.

Scenes at a Bowentown beach, near Waihī, in western Bay of Plenty, after a shark attacked a woman while she was swimming on Thursday.

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.

Gibbons-Campbell said lifeguards were undertaking observational patrols at the beach on Friday and would keep the public informed of any developments.

He said the lifeguards that were on duty on Thursday have been given time off.

“They are doing alright. [We have] taken them off the beach today to give them a break and our support team will be working with them.”

People could be seen wandering on the beach on Friday and lifeguards were doing observational patrols.

A fresh group of lifeguards had been brought in from around the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty and Gibbons-Campbell said they were grateful to have the support.

“It’s really pleasing to see the support from neighbouring clubs.”

Swimming in the ocean off Waihī Beach had the same risk level now as it did before the incident, he said.

“Shark attacks are actually very rare.

“We get a lot of shark sightings, especially in the Coromandel and here in Waihī.

“The water this year has been really warm [so we’ve had] lots of reports of people seeing sharks, but the actual attacks are really rare and the last one was quite some time ago.

“It is their home their domain so when we enter the water it's us having to respect their environment.”