A 39-year-old woman from Cape Town died after a shark attack at Plettenberg Bay’s Central Beach this morning, less than three months after another fatal shark attack on June 28 on Sanctuary Beach.

According to NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon, the NSRI and police responded to the incident at 07:53.

The sea rescue craft Eric Stratford was launched and the body of the woman was recovered from the water and taken onto the beach.

The body was handed over to the police and government pathology services. An inquest docket has been opened.

It is understood that the woman was with her husband and child when the attack took place. She was in waist-deep water.

The incident happened before life savers at Central Beach had come on duty. Lambinon expressed condolences to the woman’s family.

All beaches in Plettenberg Bay have been closed for recreational activities.

Andile Namntu, Bitou Municipality’s communication manager, said at Central Beach today that council had approved a research project in May for a shark barrier at the beach.

“This study will go a long way to assist in understanding the behaviour of the sharks. At this moment there seems to be more shark activity at our beaches. This is very unusual when compared with previous years,” he said.

Namntu said the municipality has also established a shark committee to work with experienced private sector personnel to assist with limiting such incidents.

In June Plettenberg Bay businessman Bruce Wolov was attacked and killed by a shark on Sanctuary Beach. Beachgoers alerted authorities who recovered his body from the water at the back surf line.

In a statement on social media, Wolov’s family said: “A loving husband, our dad and friend was taken from us far too soon, while doing what he was passionate about.”