Janine Lochrenberg, 65, was swimming with an open-water group when she was attacked off Orient Beach in KuGompo.
KUGOMPO, South Africa — A 65-year-old woman died after a shark attacked her during an early-morning swim off Orient Beach on South Africa’s Eastern Cape, leading authorities to close two beaches while police opened an inquest into her death.
Janine Lochrenberg was swimming with members of a local open-water group on Oct. 20 when she came under attack. Fellow swimmers responded after noticing she was in distress and worked to bring her back toward shore. Despite efforts to save her, she was declared dead at the beach. Authorities had not publicly identified the species of shark involved.
Eastern Cape police said officers were called to Orient Beach in KuGompo, formerly known as East London, early Tuesday morning. Police spokesperson Col. Siphokazi Mawisa said officers found the 65-year-old woman’s body and opened an inquest. Such proceedings are used to investigate deaths and establish the circumstances surrounding them.
Witnesses said Lochrenberg had been swimming with other members of the open-water community when the attack occurred. Fellow swimmer Mike Loewe said members of the group saw signs that something was wrong and moved toward her. Swimmers then supported Lochrenberg as they made their way back toward land. A medic was among those who tried to assist after she was brought ashore.
Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality closed Orient Beach and nearby Eastern Beach following the attack. Municipal officials said the closures would remain in place until further notice and issued warnings at other beaches in the area. Officials asked beachgoers to follow safety notices while authorities assessed conditions along the coast.
The death was the first fatal shark attack recorded in the municipality since 1997, according to municipal spokesperson Luzuko Buku. The municipality recorded another shark incident in 2023, but that encounter was not fatal. Shark attacks remain uncommon in South Africa despite the presence of several shark species along the country’s coastline.
Lochrenberg was well known in the local swimming community. Friends and fellow swimmers described her as an experienced swimmer who spent considerable time in the ocean. Accounts from people who knew her also identified her as a recently retired medical professional and a musician who played viola with the Viva Musica Ensemble.
Her family told the BBC that Lochrenberg had a strong connection to the water and was aware that sharks were present along the Eastern Cape coast. Her partner, Barbara Briceland, remembered her as a capable swimmer who enjoyed swimming beyond the breakers and described her as intelligent, thoughtful and kind. The couple had been planning to travel together during retirement.
Some swimmers in the group said Lochrenberg had been wearing a magnetic shark-repellent device at the time of the attack. Authorities had not announced any finding about the device or whether it had any relevance to what happened. Officials also had not confirmed reports suggesting a particular shark species was responsible, and no species identification had been released.
South Africa has a long coastline inhabited by several shark species, including great white sharks, but fatal encounters with people are relatively rare. The Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File recorded 29 unprovoked shark bites in South Africa from 2012 through 2021, including six fatalities. More recent reporting cited the database as showing about 10 fatal attacks in the country since 2012.
Orient Beach and Eastern Beach remained closed as authorities continued reviewing the incident. Police were continuing the inquest, while municipal officials maintained warnings for other beaches. No official finding identifying the shark species responsible for Lochrenberg’s death had been announced.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.