California firefighters have recovered the body of triathlete Erica Fox, 55, on Davenport Beach, north-west of Santa Cruz, nearly a week after she disappeared while swimming. Her father and husband confirmed the discovery to local news outlets on Saturday.
Fox was part of a group of swimmers who left from Lovers Point near Monterey on 21 December but failed to return to shore. A witness reported seeing a shark with what appeared to be a human body in its mouth, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The disappearance prompted a large-scale search involving the US Coast Guard, local fire and police departments. The Coast Guard suspended its search last Monday after covering about 84 nautical miles over 15 hours.
Fox’s husband and fellow swimmers held a memorial walk on Sunday. Her father described her as an empathetic person who loved swimming and had competed in numerous triathlons, including the Escape From Alcatraz challenge.
Editor Sara Rubin, writing in Monterey County Weekly, recalled Fox as a passionate athlete who found peace in the ocean. Rubin noted that Fox understood the risks of swimming in waters inhabited by great white sharks and would prefer to call the incident an 'animal's behaviour' rather than an attack.
Shark-related fatalities are rare in California, with only 16 recorded in the past 75 years prior to Fox's death. The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident in collaboration with Monterey County authorities.
