Officials in the US Virgin Islands have confirmed that the fatal injuries sustained by Minnesota resident Arlene Lillis at Dorsch Beach on January 8 were caused by a shark.

Nicole Angeli, director of the DNPR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife at the Department of Planning and Natural Resources, confirmed the finding during a media conference on January 9.

She said the community is shaken but noted that “encounters with sharks are very common, but encounters that result in a bite are very rare.”

“We want to stress that it is a wild environment. You should enjoy waters at your own personal comfort level.”

This is the second shark incident in the territory in a decade.

Angeli said officials will be releasing shark safety tips in an effort to prevent future dangerous encounters. The information will inform swimmers about the times when sharks and other predators are most active, as well as warnings about being vigilant when swimming near turtles and other marine life on which they feed.

She reminded visitors and locals that the Virgin Islands remains “a wild and a wonderful place” and that outdoor activities such as swimming in the ocean do involve risks.

“But it is a risk that I think we can approach with caution and safely recreate in the Virgin Islands, in our waters, and on our shorelines,” Angeli said.

Authorities will not be placing signs at Dorsch Beach warning beachgoers of potential dangers. 

However, Daryl Jaschen, director of the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA), said that if the situation changes, authorities will take action.

Angeli encouraged visitors and tourists to pay close attention to conditions in and around the water, particularly near piers.

“If you’re on a shoreline, if you’re launching a boat, if you’ve decided to go down and swim around a pier and you see someone cleaning fish around that pier, there is a strong possibility that sharks may smell the fish that is being cleaned and may approach the shoreline,” she said.

“So if you do see those types of cleaning practises, which are a part of our culture and a way of life, just be aware that that might not be the best place for you to enter the water or the best place for you to swim. Sharks are common. Bites are not common.”

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach said the territory joins Lillis’ family in mourning her death.

Roach said Lillis was a frequent visitor to the islands and described the situation as unfortunate.