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Woman killed in shark attack at South African resort

Kimon Bisogno, 39, was killed in a shark attack in South Africa's Plettenberg Bay
Kimon Bisogno, 39, was killed in a shark attack in South Africa's Plettenberg Bay

A tourist was killed by a great white shark as she was wading in waist-high water on a beach in South Africa.

Kimon Bisogno, 39, was at Plettenberg Bay with her family for the bank holiday weekend when she was dragged out to sea in front of her husband and young child.

The family had travelled 300 miles to the popular resort from their home in Cape Town, where she and her husband ran a pizzeria and donated meals to the homeless.

It was the second fatal shark attack at the popular southern resort in three months.

Ms Bisogno had ventured into the water shortly before 8am and was about 50 metres out when she drifted into a channel of water two metres deep and got attacked, according to Bruce Noble, a former National Sea Rescue Institute lifeboatman who is now on the Plettenberg shark action committee.

Onlookers said the sea around her “turned red” as people ashore began screaming. Rescuers found her body floating about 50 yards out from where she was attacked. Police and forensic pathologists will carry out a post mortem.

Ms Bisogno, Diego Milesi, her husband, and her five-year-old daughter were staying at the luxury Beacon Isle hotel for three days to “recharge their batteries”. An inquest will be held and her family have been offered trauma counselling.

‘You were so genuine’

The Bitou Municipality, which manages the beach, has shut down the bay for several days and put up shark signs. It has also instructed lifeguards to keep tourists out of the water.

Ms Bisogno met Mr Milesi on holiday in Ibiza 13 years ago. He said on a Facebook video: “I couldn’t speak English.You couldn’t speak Italian. But we connected through cooking.”

On Monday, Carmin Commins, a close friend, wrote on Facebook: “I have scrolled through your page over and over again and hoping that it is a mistake.

“I don’t know how the world could let someone like you go too soon, but what I do know is that anyone that you met you touched their life with your love. You were so genuine, with so much love in your heart.”

Gabrielle Alberts, another friend, said: “Such sad news. I will remember your joyous, infectious laugh forever. RIP Kimon – too good for this Earth.”