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Woman Killed in Shark Attack

Aired August 20, 2003 - 14:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A 50-year-old college instructor was attacked and killed while swimming off the coast of California yesterday. It happened off of Avila Beach, and authorities say it has all the hallmarks of a shark attack.
Reporter Lydia Pantazes of our affiliate KCOY has more, including eyewitness accounts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYDIA PANTAZES, KCOY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For many it's a favorite place to get away and relax. Now Avila Beach is the scene of one woman's tragic death.

DAVID ABBOTT, WITNESS: She was just swimming and there was a couple seals around here.

PANTAZES: Surfer David Abbott saw it all unfold. He was working near the beach when he heard commotion in the water.

ABBOTT: You could see the tail come up and a lot of thrashing and I could hear her asking for help and I see a bunch of blood.

PANTAZES: Nearby about 30 lifeguards were getting ready for a countywide competition. Four of them jumped into the water.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had lifeguards which normally wouldn't have come on duty until later in the morning but were immediately available.

PANTAZES: Our cameras were first on the scene as lifeguards attempted to save the woman's life, but I was too late. Soon after, signs went up across the beach.

CASEY NIELSEN, PORT OPERATIONS: The action we have taken at this place is we have closed the water in the port area. So we are posting that. We're not going to allow people in the water at least through today.

PANTAZES: Several agencies are still trying to figure out what bit the woman. For now, investigators will only say it was a large marine animal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Experts at the International Shark Attack Organization in Florida say shark attacks in the U.S. are actually on the decline over the past couple of years.

In 2000, which was -- included the so-called Summer of the Shark -- actually that was 2001, there were 54 U.S. attacks and one fatality.

Fifty-three attacks and three fatalities in 2001. That is the summer, 2001, Summer of the Shark.

And 47 attacks and no fatalities reported last year.

So far this year there have been 23 shark attacks in the U.S., not counting yesterday's incident. And the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department has scheduled a news conference today at 3 Eastern to discuss the latest attack, and we'll update you the story once we hear from them.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 20, 2003 - 14:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: A 50-year-old college instructor was attacked and killed while swimming off the coast of California yesterday. It happened off of Avila Beach, and authorities say it has all the hallmarks of a shark attack.
Reporter Lydia Pantazes of our affiliate KCOY has more, including eyewitness accounts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LYDIA PANTAZES, KCOY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For many it's a favorite place to get away and relax. Now Avila Beach is the scene of one woman's tragic death.

DAVID ABBOTT, WITNESS: She was just swimming and there was a couple seals around here.

PANTAZES: Surfer David Abbott saw it all unfold. He was working near the beach when he heard commotion in the water.

ABBOTT: You could see the tail come up and a lot of thrashing and I could hear her asking for help and I see a bunch of blood.

PANTAZES: Nearby about 30 lifeguards were getting ready for a countywide competition. Four of them jumped into the water.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had lifeguards which normally wouldn't have come on duty until later in the morning but were immediately available.

PANTAZES: Our cameras were first on the scene as lifeguards attempted to save the woman's life, but I was too late. Soon after, signs went up across the beach.

CASEY NIELSEN, PORT OPERATIONS: The action we have taken at this place is we have closed the water in the port area. So we are posting that. We're not going to allow people in the water at least through today.

PANTAZES: Several agencies are still trying to figure out what bit the woman. For now, investigators will only say it was a large marine animal.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Experts at the International Shark Attack Organization in Florida say shark attacks in the U.S. are actually on the decline over the past couple of years.

In 2000, which was -- included the so-called Summer of the Shark -- actually that was 2001, there were 54 U.S. attacks and one fatality.

Fifty-three attacks and three fatalities in 2001. That is the summer, 2001, Summer of the Shark.

And 47 attacks and no fatalities reported last year.

So far this year there have been 23 shark attacks in the U.S., not counting yesterday's incident. And the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department has scheduled a news conference today at 3 Eastern to discuss the latest attack, and we'll update you the story once we hear from them.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com