A New York City woman was killed in a shark attack while swimming off the coast of Maine.
The shark that killed her, confirmed to be a great white, is still out there.
On Tuesday, July 28, officials stated victim Julie Dimperio Holowach, 63, was killed by a great white shark, New York Post reveals. At the time the attack began, the woman, who was a former NYC fashion executive, was swimming with her daughter about 20 yards off Bailey Island. She was then fatally attacked by the shark. The tragic incident occurred on Monday afternoon.
During the horrific encounter, the animal left a tooth, which helped scientists identify the type of shark – a great white.
An onlooker reported he witnessed the daunting scene. As officials also stressed, the incident was highly unusual, being the first fatal shark attack in Maine. Witness Tom Whyte told The Boston Globe he saw the attack from his office. At first, the two women were simply enjoying the hot Monday weather.
Suddenly, one of the swimmers fell behind. The other one looked back to check what was happening and immediately started swimming back to the shore. When she finally reached the shore, she fell to her knees and screamed for help.
According to the onlooker, the younger woman was uninjured, but her companion, Ms. Holowach, was apparently lifeless, as she floated at sea. Mr. Whyte also saw a kayaker trying to help the victim, but he soon became distraught by something in the water and couldn’t do anything. He said the whole scene was “surreal”.
As the witness described the two women, Julie was wearing a black wetsuit, and her daughter was in a blue one-piece. Maine officials assume the shark likely mistook Ms. Holowach for a food item because of her dark suit.
Terribly, the great white shark that killed the 63-year-old woman is still out there.
Local swimmers and paddle-boarders have been warned to steer clear of areas of water where sharks are most likely to appear.
Maine Marine Patrol Commissioner Patrick Keliher said:
“It’s the presence of seals that are really the drive here. We are aware that there have been a few reports of seals in the area who have had bite marks.”
The Post connected a relative of Ms. Holowach, her cousin, Steve Morano, who said:
“She used to swim out there every day. She was like an Olympic-status swimmer. She was an incredible athlete.”
Morano added that the horrific incident was incredibly “bizarre” because Julie loved the beach. He said her tragic death was “like out of a movie”.
According to Ms. Holowach’s Linkedin page, she was a former president at Kipling and a board member of Sea Bags LLC. The director of Sea Bags LLC, Don Oakes, said in a statement that the former NYC fashion executive was passionate about the ocean, and she was an “invaluable supporter and friend”, Bangor Daily News reports.
Julie Holowach was a beloved member of the area’s community, officials share. Maine Marine Patrol Maj. Robert Beal said:
“Julie and her husband are well-known, very respected individuals. The community … is trying to process yesterday’s event.”
After Ms. Holowach’s horrifying death, local authorities have restricted swimming to shallow water off Popham Beach State Park in Phippsburg and Reid State Park in Georgetown, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Swimmers will only be allowed in waist-deep waters.
While sweeping the waters between Casco Bay and Sheepscot Bay, marine officials didn’t locate any sharks in the area.
