Tourist killed by great white shark while swimming in Cape Town

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An Austrian tourist has been killed by a great white shark while swimming on holiday in Cape Town, South Africa.

The 72-year-old Austrian man was swimming at Second Beach in Port St Johns on Saturday when he was attacked and killed.

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the man was with his wife and both were part of a tour group, reports enca.com.

NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon told Eyewitness News: "On arrival on scene, it was found that the 72-year-old Austrian tourist had been fatally wounded by shark bite.

"His body was handed into the care of the police and the forensic pathology services."

In December 2013, a teen surfer was reportedly "lucky to be alive" after being attacked by a great white shark in Cape Town.

Thomas Browne, 19, was surfing with two friends at Die Plaat, just west of De Kelders in Walker Bay, when he received bites to his leg.

Back in 2012, a 20-year-old man was killed by a great white shark in South Africa while bodyboarding off a beach where a TV crew were filming a documentary and were accused of luring sharks close to the shore.

Champion surfer David Lilienfeld was struck by the 16ft predator, which dragged him under the waves while his brother paddled nearby in the sea at Koeel Bay, east of Cape Town.

The great white shark bit off his leg as terrified witnesses watched on. David's brother Gustav helped carry him to the rocks but he died before medics arrived.

Over the year in 2013, Florida was home to the highest number of shark attacks, although none of the 23 attacks were fatal.

South Africa, Brazil, Diego Garcia, Jamaica, New Zealand and saw one fatal shark attack each.



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