A woman was killed snorkeling in Hawaii in a frenzied shark attack as people watched on horrified.
The snorkeler, from Washington state, was last seen off Keawakapu Point on the island of Maui on December 8. She then disappeared without trace.
Officials have since confirmed that she was a victim of a fatal shark attack. Several eyewitnesses also reported that a large, aggressive shark had been feeding in the area.
One witness told Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources that he had spotted the couple snorkeling as the shark approached. He began yelling at them both to get out of the water.
He then saw the shark's "large mouth" feeding on something "in the middle of the red cloud in the water."
The woman disappeared, but the eyewitness continued yelling at the man to get out. He then called 911 to report the incident.
The woman's husband recalled seeing the shark about 50 yards offshore, the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources statement said. After the woman went missing, he continued to search for her.
The shark then began to circle the man, but eventually left the area. When it returned, the husband noticed "red around [its] gills," the statement said.
The species of shark responsible for the attack hasn't been confirmed, but several eyewitness reports claimed in was a tiger shark. The tiger shark is one of the "Big Three" shark species responsible for the most shark attacks on humans, along with the bull shark and the great white.
Despite this species being more aggressive, attacks remain very rare. The International Shark Attack File says that there have been 182 recorded shark attacks in Hawaii over the course of 200 years.
This was a "tragic accident," the Department of Land and Natural Resources said in a statement.
"It's unfortunate that this family's grief is exacerbated not only by not having their loved one's body recovered, but by misinformation which spread quickly on social media platforms, suggesting that this was something other than what it was," the statement said.
Before officials had concluded what happened to the woman, many conspiracy theories were posted on social media.
The department said these were "tremendously hurtful and inaccurate."
It has not been the only shark attack to occur in Hawaii recently. A few days ago, a 68-year-old from Waikoloa was swimming off Anaehoomalu Bay at 8 a.m when a shark bit him on the lower left torso, the Hawaii police department said in a statement.
The man was rushed to hospital and treated for his injuries.
About the writer
Robyn White is a Newsweek Nature Reporter based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on wildlife, science and the ... Read more
