The body of a triathlete who went missing following a shark attack off the coast of California has been recovered, her father has confirmed.
Discovery and Identification
Rescue teams retrieved a body from the ocean south of Davenport Beach in Santa Cruz on Saturday at approximately 2 pm, according to the county sheriff's office. The victim has been identified by her father, James Fox, as 55-year-old Erica Fox. The grim discovery came roughly a week after she was reported missing from the waters of Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, where witnesses described seeing a shark maul a swimmer.
Sergeant Ryan Farotte of the Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office stated that authorities had not yet formally confirmed the body's identity. However, given the proximity to Fox's disappearance, the Santa Cruz and Monterey County sheriff's offices, alongside Pacific Grove Police, are investigating the incident as connected.
The Fatal Swim
Fox vanished on December 21 at around 11:30 am while swimming with fellow members of the Kelp Krawlers, a recreational swim club she co-founded two decades ago. The group of 15 had been swimming west around Lovers Point into Otter Cove.
The alarm was raised when a club member who returned to shore early spotted a shark about 100 yards from the point. Simultaneously, a driver alerted the US Coast Guard, reporting he had seen a shark breach the surface with what looked like a human body in its mouth before submerging.
Swimmers hurried back to shore, where a headcount revealed Fox was missing. Her husband of 30 years, Jean-Francois Vanreusel, was among the group. An intensive 15-hour search involving boats, helicopters, and divers was initially called off, but independent recovery teams continued the effort.
A Life Lived for the Ocean
Erica Fox was a highly experienced swimmer and adventurer. She had competed in two half-Ironman events and took part in the annual Escape from Alcatraz triathlon for nearly 20 years. Friends described her as a cheerful, joyful, and kind person who was a natural leader in the water.
Notably aware of marine risks, Fox had attended a 'Sharktober' seminar to learn more about the predators. In 2013, she posted a photo on Facebook of a shark swimming peacefully next to a diver, captioning it: 'This is the most dangerous animal in the world and next to it [is] a shark swimming peacefully.'
Even after a fellow Kelp Krawler survived a serious shark attack in June 2022, Fox defended the animals, preferring the terms 'incident' or 'bite' over 'attack.' She famously told The Independent: 'We are the ocean ecology's humble guests.'
A Community in Mourning
Fox's death has devastated her loved ones and the local community. At a memorial, fellow shark attack survivor Steve Bruemmer called her a 'bright light' unafraid of risk. Her husband said simply, 'She lived her life fully.'
Pacific Grove Mayor Nick Smith issued a statement expressing the community's profound sorrow. After her body was found, recovery diver Juan Heredia shared a poignant tribute on Facebook, writing: 'Swim gently, beautiful soul. The ocean keeps your soul now, and we will remember you every time the water moves.'
