WATCH | Plettenberg beaches closed after swimmer killed by a shark

The Bitou municipality in the Western Cape has closed all its Plettenberg beaches after a  swimmer was killed by a shark at Sanctuary Beach on Tuesday.

TimesLIVE has received footage of a shark spotted near the said beach just a minute after the reported attack.

Gunnar Sigge of Somerset West, who is holidaying in Plett, was on a hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve which overlooks the sea when he spotted what he believed to be a Great White shark in the waters below the hiking trail. 

He captured the video at 14.10pm.

According to the National Sea Rescue Institute, the deadly shark attack was reported by an eyewitness about 14.09pm.  

“NSRI rescue swimmers responded directly to the scene and two NSRI rescue craft were launched. On arrival on the scene the body of an adult male, believed to be a local man, was located and recovered from the water, [placed] at the back surf line, on to an NSRI rescue craft and the body was brought to the NSRI Plettenberg Bay rescue station,” the institute said.

Medics were called to the station but nothing could be done to save the man. He was declared dead on the scene.

The NSRI said the family of the deceased man had been informed and were receiving counselling.

Meanwhile, the NSRI and Bitou municipality are appealing to sea users — bathers, paddlers, sailors and boaters — in Plettenberg Bay and along the southern Cape coastline to exercise caution.

TimesLIVE

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