Woman dies in apparent shark attack at Mexican beach resort

A woman has been killed in an apparent shark attack at a beach resort on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

The woman, who has not been officially named, was found dead by emergency services at the scene in Melaque Bay, Cihuatlán municipality, on Saturday, according to a statement from the local civil protection and fire service, posted on Facebook.

One of the victim’s legs had been severed, according to the statement, which said the injury appeared to have been caused by a shark attack.

According to the statement, the incident took place on the same day as a swimming race in the bay, which is located in Jalisco state in western Mexico.

Local beaches will remain closed until further notice, the service said in a separate statement, adding that volunteers are on patrol, warning people to stay out of the water.

Pictures attached to the post show red warning flags in the sand.

The Cihuatlán municipal government also warned people to stay away from local beaches, in a statement posted on Facebook.

“Our priority is to guarantee the safety and wellbeing of every citizen,” the statement reads.

The municipal government of nearby La Huerta also warned citizens about “the presence of a shark on the southern coast of Jalisco” in a statement on Facebook.