Great white shark kills US woman in rare attack
- Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, was swimming 9 to 12 metres from shore when she was bitten
- Two kayakers jumped into water to get victim back to shore, but she was pronounced dead at the scene
A woman from New York was killed in a rare shark attack off the coast of Maine, local authorities confirmed on Tuesday, identifying the victim as 63-year-old Julie Dimperio Holowach.
The shark, which was later confirmed to be a great white shark, fatally bit Holowach on Monday while she was swimming, according to the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
The Maine Marine Patrol said a witness saw Holowach swimming off the shore of Bailey Island when she was bitten. Two kayakers helped her get to shore and an ambulance provided further aid, but she was pronounced dead at the scene, the marine patrol said.
The attack happened about 9 to 12 metres (30 to 40 feet) offshore, and the rescuers were a man and woman in a rented tandem kayak, said Jeff Cooper, co-owner H2Outfitters on the island, which offers instruction, rentals and sales of kayaks.
The kayakers were on the shore when one of them saw something breach and realised something was wrong, Cooper said.
“They happened to be right there at the scene. They were courageous enough to jump in and retrieve the victim,” Cooper said.
