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Snorkeler Who Lost Arm to Shark Dies in Maui

German woman was bitten last week
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 21, 2013 6:48 PM CDT
Snorkeler Who Lost Arm to Shark Dies in Maui
File photo of a tiger shark.   (Shutterstock)

A German woman who lost her arm in a shark attack died today, one week after she was bitten while snorkeling off Maui. Jana Lutteropp, 20, who had been on life support, died at Maui Memorial Medical Center. Lutteropp was snorkeling about 100 yards off Palauea Beach in Makena when the shark bit off her right arm. A school teacher visiting from California jumped into the water after hearing her screaming. Rick Moore, 57, of Laguna Niguel, California, said Lutteropp went in and out of consciousness and kept repeating that she was going to die.

"Jana fought hard to stay alive," said a statement from her mother and sister. "However, we are sad to say that she lost her fight today." It's not known what type of shark bit Lutteropp. Hawaii officials, however, plan to spend the next two years studying tiger shark movements around Maui amid what they call an unprecedented spike in overall shark attacks since the start of 2012. Eight attacks have been reported statewide this year after 10 in 2012. Hawaii usually sees only three to four attacks each year, and saw one or zero attacks in each of the years between 1980 and 2012. (More Maui stories.)

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