Woman bitten by shark in Riverton faces long road to recovery, mum rushing home from UK

A woman attacked by a shark in Southland is now in intensive care after undergoing surgery and faces a “long recovery”, her mother told the Herald.

The 21-year-old suffered a significant leg wound in a late-night shark attack while wading in knee-deep water at about 2am yesterday.

Southland Police said the woman was walking through the water in an estuary near the Riverton rugby grounds when she was bitten by the shark.

“She received a significant laceration to her leg that required treatment from emergency services,” a police statement said.

“The culprit is possibly a sevengill shark, which is present in the estuary. The time of day is a possible factor.”

The victim’s mother told the Herald this afternoon that her daughter “has a long recovery ahead of her”.

”She is in ICU under the care of my brother and she is doing well after surgery.”

The family was flying to Invercargill to be with the victim at Southland Hospital.

”We are from Riverton, so this will hit the community hard as this is an area that many people take their children to.”

A broadnose sevengill shark.

The mother told the Herald the incident would “have a deep impact” on her daughter, who is well known in Riverton for working at the local supermarket.

”She is a very strong woman, and I know that she will get through this. Recovery will be slow; however, in time, she will be okay.”

The mother was in London when she heard the news and had booked a flight home as soon as possible.

A Southern Te Whatu Ora spokeswoman said the woman was in a stable condition.

Hato Hone St John confirmed they were notified at 2.27am on Monday “of an incident involving an animal”.

“We responded [with] one ambulance and one rapid response unit to Leader Street, Riverton,” a spokesman said.

“Our paramedics treated and transported one patient in a serious condition to Southland Hospital.”

Located 30km west of Invercargill, Riverton is a popular holiday destination and police are asking anyone heading into the water to “follow safety guidelines and avoid late-night swims”.

Speaking to the Herald in 2022, New Zealand Marine Studies Centre educator Rob Lewis said that in southern New Zealand, sevengill sharks often moved closer to shore in the summer.

They were “very curious animals” and fast movements and splashing could trigger them to investigate.

“Of course, their way of investigating is by biting things,” Lewis said.

If approached by a sevengill shark, the most important thing to do was to keep eye contact with it, he said.

“After which, you should try, as calmly as possible, to exit the water.”

Water Safety New Zealand has resources and advice for all water-going holidaymakers.