Shark kills mother on vacation with her husband, 5-year-old daughter in South Africa
A mom on vacation with her family died when a shark attacked her, according to authorities in South Africa.
Kimon “Kiki” Bisogno, 39, her husband, and her 5-year-old daughter were visiting Plettenberg Bay for a weekend vacation on Sunday, Sept. 25, the Telegraph reported. Bisogno went for a swim just before 8 a.m. when a shark attacked her, the National Sea Rescue Institute said in a news release.
The shark dragged her away from the beach — as her husband and daughter watched, the Telegraph reported. People began screaming as the water “turned red,” the outlet reported.
Her body was found about 150 feet from where the shark first attacked her, the Independent reported.
This is the second fatal shark attack at Plettenberg Bay in the last three months, Times Live reported. Bruce Wolov was swimming on June 28 when a shark fatally attacked him.
Officials closed the beach, saying, “there seems to be more shark activities around our beaches. This is very unusual when compared with previous years,” per the release.
Bisogno and her family run a pizza restaurant in Cape Town, the Independent reported. She also helped found Obs Pasta Kitchen, an organization that serves meals for homeless people once a week, Times Live reported. Bisogno also helped at the Rainbow House, a long-term housing program for formerly homeless people.
Tributes poured out on social media following her death.
“Some have called [Bisogno] a ‘force of nature’, a tsunami of righteous energy, and many similar accolades,” Eric Miller posted on Facebook. “She was an extraordinary human being.”
“Kimon was the kindest, most giving and selfless person I have ever met,” Carlos Mesquita wrote on Facebook. “She plain and simply loved! That’s what Kimon lived, did and was, love – the rest just followed.”
Another friend, Claire Commins, wrote a tribute to Bisogno on Facebook, saying, “you were a trail blazer who touched every soul around you! Long live your legacy.”
Plettenberg Bay is about 320 miles east of Cape Town.
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