Bengaluru: A New York based financier, who had her roots in Mangaluru, died following a tiger shark attack while scuba diving off the coast of Costa Rica. The US environment ministry has issued a statement in this regard.
According to the statement, Rohina Bhandari, 49, a senior director at WL Ross & Co.LL (a private equity firm based in New York City), was killed by shark. It further stated that she was dragged from the Pacific Ocean after sustaining severe bites to her legs but could not be saved. Her 26-year-old diving instructor was also badly injured.
The incident happened in pristine waters close to the Cocos Island.
According to the Costa Rican newspaper “La Nacion”, the guide noticed the shark approaching his group underwater and tried to scare it away. But, as they surfaced, the shark went for Bhandari, tearing her legs.
Tiger sharks, which have dark stripes on their body, are predators often found around the Pacific islands. Unlike many other species of shark, they can be aggressive and account for a large proportion of attacks on humans.
Authorities said that two park rangers and several doctors, who were part of the diving tourism group of 18 people on the island trip organised by Undersea Hunter Group, offered first aid in a desperate bid to save her.
Rohina Bhandari has an estimated net worth of $10 million, and lived on the Upper East Side and was a regular at charity events. She graduated from the Asian Institute of Management in 1996 and earned her Masters of Science in Finance from George Washington University in 2001.
