An American woman was killed by a shark while paddleboarding on vacation at the Sandals Royal Bahamian resort in The Bahamas on Monday.

Lauren Erickson Van Wart, a 44-years-old resident of Massachusetts, at approximately 11:15 a.m. was attacked less than a mile off the shore of western New Providence.

The lifeguard on duty responded to the incident and managed to retrieve Van Wart and a male relative from the water, but upon medical examination, Van Wart was declared dead on scene.

Van Wart suffered significant trauma to her right side; her hip and upper limb.

Although shark attacks are considered infrequent in the country, The Bahamas’ waters are considered a ‘shark sanctuary’ with shark encounters and shark diving being a major part of the country’s tourism offering. The country is home to at least forty species of sharks including aggressive species such as mako sharks, hammerhead sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks.

Sandals Resort International released a statement following the attack. It reads: “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.”

Shark attacks are considered highly uncommon worldwide and most prevalent in Australia, South Africa and the United States of America. In The Bahamas’ recorded history, since 1749, there have only been 33 unprovoked shark attacks, however, three of them have taken place this year.