Swimmer killed in rare New Zealand great white shark attack

Female beachgoer was killed in a rare shark attack in New Zealand today.

The victim of the attack was pulled out of the water while still alive but died at the scene despite all the attempts to save her life.

The attack took place at Waihi Beach on North Island not far from the country’s biggest city Auckland.

Shark attacks are unusual in New Zealand and this is thought to be the first fatality since 2013. Local media cited witnesses as saying the woman had been swimming right in front of the lifeguard flags on Thursday.

When they heard screams, lifeguards went out by boat immediately and pulled her to shore.

It is not clear what kind of shark attacked the woman, but an eyewitness reportedly claimed it was a great white, a species which is protected in the waters around New Zealand.

A seven-day prohibition restricting access to an area, has been placed on the beach.

The last recorded shark attack was in 2018 when a man was injured – but survived – at Baylys Beach. Over the past 170 years, there have only been 13 fatal shark attacks documented in New Zealand.