Featured Image Credit: ABC/Channel 7
Topics: Australia, Shark Attacks, Sharks, World News
Jess Battison
Topics: Australia, Shark Attacks, Sharks, World News
The husband of a woman eaten whole by a 13-foot shark, without anyone noticing, spotted the animal just moments after the fatal attack.
On 3 April 2014, Christine Armstrong was out on a routine swim with a group of swimmers from Tathra Wharf to Tathra Beach in New South Wales, Australia.
However, without her apparently even having chance to scream, the 63-year-old was suddenly snatched by a shark.
So unaware the creature was even there, the swimmers assumed Christine had made it back to dry land already. But once they got back to shore, they realised they couldn’t find her.
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And the next day, her goggles, swimming cap and remains washed up.
Christine had been killed instantly by the whopping 13ft shark, snapping her into its jaws without her having chance to make a noise to alert the others.
The woman’s husband, Rob, was out swimming with the group too and was convinced she has suffered a quick, mostly painless death.
Married for 44 years, he accepted she had been ‘consumed completely’ while out swimming and said that she ‘wouldn’t have even known it happened’.
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He added at the time that Christine was a regular swimmer, aware of the risks of being out in the sea and that she wouldn’t have blamed sharks for the tragedy.
The swim should have been a 600m journey but Rob told local media at the time that his wife had told the group she hadn’t been feeling well, so decided to return to the shore alone at the 200m mark.
And it was him who then not long after spotted the shark lurking. The group then made their way back to shore together, forming a huddle and keeping close watch for the creature.
Locals also told media that a resident great white shark that had been sighted near the wharf on the day of the attack.
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Inspector Jason Edmunds confirmed Rob had seen a shark: “Rob was part of the group of five people. He did see a shape of a shark he described as three to four metres long and quite big.’’
The couple had been swimming with the Tathra Surf Club for 14 years and the fatal day should have been a normal daily swim.
The club paid tribute to Christine, calling her an ‘experienced and committed member’.
“She was a senior surf club trainer for many years. Swimming brought her much joy and many friends,” it said.