A Costa Rica tiger shark attack Thursday killed an American executive from New York who was scuba diving with other tourists while on vacation.
Rohina Bhandari, 49, was bitten by a tiger shark on both of her legs during a dive at Isla del Coco National Park on Thursday and died at the scene, Costa Rican officials said in a statement, according to USA Today.
Bhandari’s instructor noticed the shark and tried to scare it away, but also was bitten and seriously wounded, USA Today reported.
Tiger sharks, one of the largest shark species, were last sighted in the area in 2012. Costa Rica’s Ministry of Environment and Energy called the incident rare and characterized it as an isolated incident, USA Today said.
Bhandari was a senior director at WL Ross & Co. LLC, an equity companym, and was involved in many charity events in New York City, according to the New York Daily News.
Bhandari’s family is from India, and friends told the Bangalore Mirror she had planned to visit that city later in December to celebrate her 50th birthday.
Friends decribed her as adventurous, kind, and ambitious. Many expressed their shock and sadness on Twitter following the deadly tiger shark attack.
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