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55-year-old triathlete Erica Fox is presumed dead after she disappeared while swimming on Sunday. California ashore and suspected to have been attacked shark,
Fox described as “extraordinary” swimmerand founder of the Kelp Crawlers Swim Club, were participating in a group swim at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove around noon when a witness saw a “big splash”, raising fears of a shark encounter. ksbw,
They discussed the dangers of shark attacks in an interview with Independent in 2022,
All 15 members of the swim group except Fox returned safely to shore. Two witnesses suggested he may have encountered the shark while swimming off the coast near Lovers Point.
The US Coast Guard reported that one witness saw a shark floating in the water with what appeared to be a man in its mouth before it drowned, while another witness later realized that Fox was missing.
Fox was last seen wearing a red swimsuit and a yellow swim cap.
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The search, which covered more than 84 square nautical miles for more than 15 hours, was eventually called off. Officials have not confirmed this shark attackAnd the investigation into his disappearance is ongoing.
“The Coast Guard offers its deepest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones affected by this tragic incident,” Capt. Jordan Balduza, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco, said in a statement.
Erica’s father James Fox also reacted to her presumed death on Monday.
“I’m in shock, and I’m shocked by all of this, because it happened so suddenly. Erica was doing something yesterday that she really enjoyed,” James Fox told Polygon. nbc news,
Fox has long been involved in the local swimming community, having founded the informal Kelp Crawlers Club more than 20 years ago. The club holds weekly swims at Lovers Point New York Postinformed
On social media, Fox often celebrated her athletic achievements, sharing posts of crossing triathlon finish lines and earning medals. In a striking 2013 post, she shared a photo of a diver swimming with a great white shark, captioning it, “This is the most dangerous animal in the world, and a shark is swimming peacefully next to it.”
In an interview with Independent In August 2022, Fox described himself as “a hardcore sea swimmer”.
He said the recent shark attack in Pacific Grove had not stopped him or other members of the Kelp Crawlers from swimming, although some people used shark repellent wristbands.
Fox considered the risks from a sober perspective.
“As soon as you dive into the water, you are immediately in a foreign land. We are polite guests of the marine ecology. I feel more unsafe riding my bike than being in the water.”