Lauren Erickson Van Wart, 44, was killed in a shark attack in The Bahamas on Monday (Picture: Reuters/LinkedIn)
A newlywed woman who was mauled to death by a shark while paddleboarding with her husband has been named and pictured.
Lauren Erickson Van Wart had only tied the knot one day before she was killed by a predator in The Bahamas on Monday.
The 44-year-old from Boston was in the sea with her partner less than a mile from the Sandals resort they were staying at in the west of New Providence Island when she was fatally bitten.
A lifeguard spotted Lauren in distress in the waters off Cable Beach and rushed out on a boat to help her and bring the couple back to dry land.
Emergency services carried out CPR but she had suffered serious injuries to the right side of her body, including her hip and right upper leg, and couldn’t be saved.
‘It’s heartbreaking. It really is,’ her neighbour in Lowell, Massachusetts, Beth Stack-Emerson said.
Beth said Lauren and her new husband were on the ‘trip of a lifetime’ and told Boston 25 News: ‘It’s shocking. I mean these poor people – they probably looked forward to this vacation for months.’
Lauren enjoyed her wedding day on Sunday, less than 24 hours before the fatal shark attack (Picture: LinkedIn)
Rob Waldron, CEO of Curriculum Associates where Lauren worked in Billerica, said: ‘Our team is heartbroken and grieving the loss of a dear and trusted colleague and friend.
‘Lauren was a beloved member of our math editorial team, and she infused her deep dedication to students and educators into every material she touched.
‘Her commitment to excellence and outstanding work was driven by a higher purpose, focused on improving learning outcomes for all.
‘Our Curriculum Associates community is mourning this tragedy and extends our deepest love and support to Lauren’s wonderful husband and all of her family.’
The couple were staying at the Sandals beach resort in New Providence Island when Lauren was attacked less than a mile out to sea (Picture: Reuters)
Lauren’s body was taken away from the beach after the shocking incident (Picture: Reuters)
Beth said residents in Lauren’s hometown are thinking of her husband and the rest of her family.
‘I can’t even imagine, don’t want to imagine,’ she said. ‘My heart goes out to Ernest definitely.
‘Pray, find some strength from god to get through this. How else do you get through it?’
Grim pictures showed Lauren’s body being brought back to shore on a gurney by officers before being taken away in an ambulance.
Police said emergency services carried out CPR but Lauren succumbed to her injuries (Picture: Reuters)
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Sergeant Desiree Ferguson of the Royal Bahamian Police said in a brief statement: ‘Shortly after 11.15am. police were notified that a female visitor from Boston, Massachusetts, USA was attacked by a shark.
‘According to our initial reports, the female, along with a male relative were paddle boarding just at the rear of a resort in Western New Providence, some three-quarter miles out from the shoreline when she was bitten by the shark.
‘A lifeguard on duty who saw what was happening went out in a rescue boat, retrieved the victim, along with the male relative, and brought them to safety.
‘CPR was administered to the victim.
Police officers were seen on the beach after the attack (Picture: Reuters)
‘However she suffered serious injuries to the right side of her body, including the right hip region and also her right upper limb.
‘Emergency medical services responded to the scene, they thoroughly assessed the victim and they declared that she showed no vital signs of life.’
She added that it took a couple of hours to pull the woman in, before they took a wheelchair out to gather the man believed to be her husband.
It’s not yet known what type of shark attacked Lauren and investigations are ongoing.
Sandals has paid condolences to Lauren’s family (Picture: Reuters)
A Sandals Resorts spokesman said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of a guest while on a paddleboarding activity nearly a mile from the shore.
‘We wish to express our heartfelt condolences to the guest’s family and loved ones.
‘We remain in close contact with them and are providing all support possible during this difficult time.’
While fatal shark attacks are not common in The Bahamas, at least two others have been reported recently.
On November 21, a 47-year-old German woman went missing during a diving excursion in waters off West End, Grand Bahama, after encountering a shark, police said.
In September 2022, a 58-year-old American woman was killed in a shark attack while snorkeling with her family in waters of New Providence.
Last month, a woman was left with ‘extreme injuries’ after a shark bit her on the head during a dive.
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