South Africa reopens beaches after fatal shark attack

January 14, 2010 Beaches in Cape Town, South Africa have reopened after being closed for two days. They were closed after a man from Zimbabwe was killed by a shark on the Fish Hoek beach. The man was attacked by a great white shark while around 100 meters off shore on Tuesday.

An official for Cape Town released a statement saying that "although the beaches have been declared safe, both shark spotting and lifesaving services will continue.” He added that visitors to the beach should remain in groups and go no further than waist deep in the ocean.

Several eye witnesses viewed the attack on Tuesday. Swimmer Kyle Johnston spoke to a Cape Town newspaper, saying: "We looked at the walkway and saw people waving towels at us, then we looked further out to sea and saw what looked like blood, and a man's leg come up."

This was the second fatal shark attack on the same beach since 2004, when an elderly women died when she was attacked by a great white shark while swimming.