A woman appears to have been killed by a shark off the coast of Maine. If confirmed it will be the state’s first-ever fatal shark attack and only the second confirmed attack in almost 200-years.
The unidentified woman was wading off the shore of Bailey Island, northeast of Portland, around 3:30 pm when a witness saw her being attacked by what looked like a shark, Maine Marine Patrol said. New England shark expert James Sulikowski, who researches for Arizona State University, said he’s fairly certain the big fish was a great white shark.
Kayakers helped get her to shore, and an ambulance provided further assistance, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. According to witnesses, another swimmer was thrown into the air, suffering serious injuries.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, which tracks shark attacks both in the United States and globally, Maine has recorded only one other attack since 1837.
The Marine Patrol has urged swimmers and boaters to be cautious and is warning people not to wade near seals.
