Tragedy in the Ocean: Swimmer Taken by Shark Without a Trace
In April 2014, 63-year-old Christine Armstrong—a beloved and experienced swimmer from New South Wales—set out on a routine ocean swim with friends. Partway through, not feeling well, she turned back alone. Moments later, a fin was spotted in the water.
Christine never made it back to shore.
The next day, only her goggles and swim cap were found. Authorities believe she was taken and consumed almost instantly by a 13-foot shark, likely a great white. Her body was never recovered.
“She wouldn’t have even known it happened,” said her husband Rob, who was swimming nearby.
Christine had been a joyful, longtime member of the Tathra Surf Club. Her story—revisited years later in viral videos—remains a haunting reminder of nature’s power and the quiet strength of those who meet it head-on.
