A New York executive was killed by a horrific shark attack while on a diving adventure in Costa Rica.
The victim has been identified as Rohina Bhandari, 49 years old, a Manhattan private equity director. She was killed by a tiger shark while scuba diving off the coast of Costa Rica.
Authorities said Bhandari was just ascending to the surface during her dive when she was attacked. Her diving guide tried to scare off the shark but efforts proved too late to save the executive’s life.
Costa Rica officials said Bhandari suffered from severe bites to both of her legs. She died from the said wounds. Her guide also sustained injuries from the attack, but he survived.
It is not clear if Bhandari was diving alone with her guide, without any family members or friends with her on the trip. It is also not established from the initial reports if Bhandari's guide was the only one onshore or available nearby to come to her rescue. It is also not clear if the lady executive received the emergency medical attention she needed.
Local officials said there are about 14 species of shark in the area. Officials claim, however, that such sharks didn’t present a threat until the Thursday attack. It is not clear if Bhardani was properly briefed on the presence of such sharks in the diving site prior to her trip.
Bhadari’s friends took to social media to express their grief when they learned of the tragedy that took Bhadari’s life. One said: “Desperately sad to hear of the tragic, untimely passing of my dear friend Rohina Bhandari. Always generous & gregarious, she was a mainstay of my social life in NYC.”
It is not clear if Costa Rica officials will still investigate the matter or will merely write it off as an accident. It is also not clear yet what stricter safety measures will be implemented in the area to avoid similar tragic incidents from happening again.
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