Janine Lochrenberg, 65, has been named as the woman who died in a shark attack off the coast of South Africa's Eastern Cape province. She was swimming with a group off Orient Beach in KuGompo City when she signalled that she was in trouble shortly after 8am local time (7am BST) on Tuesday. She was pronounced dead on the beach.
Tributes from the swimming community
The South African East London Open Water Swimming group paid tribute to Ms Lochrenberg, describing her as a "dear friend" and a "treasured member" of the community. In a message, the group said: "It is with immense sadness and heavy hearts that we share the tragic passing of our fellow open water swimmer and dear friend, Janine Lochrenberg, who lost her life in a fatal shark attack this morning.
"Janine was a treasured member of East London's open water swimming community, and her loss leaves an enormous hole in our ocean family. She was never one to seek the spotlight, preferring to quietly go about doing what she loved most — swimming in the ocean.
"But behind her gentle, unassuming nature was someone who contributed so much to our swimming community, always there, always willing, and very much a part of the heart of our group. The ocean was Janine's happy place. It was where she found her joy, and where so many of us were fortunate enough to share special moments with her."
Remembering her 'beautiful smile'
The group added that they will remember Ms Lochrenberg's "beautiful smile, gentle kindness and quiet but meaningful presence". They said: "Our hearts go out to Janine's family, and especially to her beloved partner, Barbara, during this unimaginable time. There are simply no words."
The message concluded: "Rest peacefully, Janine. You will be so very missed, and you will always be part of our ocean family."
Another tribute came from the Viva Musica Ensemble, where the 65-year-old had been a member "since its inception". They said: "As a highly gifted musician, her contribution on the viola brought great value to our ensemble.
Beaches closed following the incident
The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality warned beachgoers not to enter the water at the affected beaches and to exercise extreme caution. The authority said there had been a shark attack that resulted in a "tragic incident" and added that Orient Beach and nearby Eastern Beach had been closed until further notice.
