Swiss swim club mourns Livia Mühlheim killed in Kylies Beach shark attack

Her club says the artistic swimmer’s lifelong love of the water makes the tragedy even harder to bear.

The swim club of swiss athlete Livia Mühlheim killed in a shark attack has released a heartbreaking statement, expressing immense grief her passion for the water had come to such a tragic end.

Mühlheim, 25, and her 26-year-old partner Lukas Schindler, 26, are believed to have been filming a pod of dolphins in the unpatrolled waters at Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park, south of Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast, when they were mauled on November 29.

They were reportedly filming dolphins with a GoPro when a shark attacked.

Local reports indicated the animal was believed to be a three metre bull shark, although this has not been officially confirmed.

Her partner tried to fight the shark off and was badly injured. Despite a severe leg wound, he managed to pull Mühlheim to shore and call for help.

She died from her injuries before paramedics arrived.

Mühlheim was a talented synchronised swimmer who later became an artistic swimming judge and a long-time member of Swim Regio Solothurn, Switzerland, which said her love of the water made the tragedy even harder to comprehend.

She was well known in the local swimming community, and her club released a public statement expressing deep sorrow.

“With deep sorrow we inform about the death of Livia Mühlheim, former swimmer and active judge in the SRSO,” the club wrote.

“She died in Australia, in her beloved element of water. On behalf of the club, we express our deepest condolences to the family.”

The club also posted a message on its website, offering condolences to her family and the wider swimming community.

Her partner, described in Swiss media as a committed athlete, had previously taken part in the Sydney Marathon while studying in Australia.

He had recently completed training as a dive instructor and reportedly holds a role in the Swiss Army.

He remains in hospital with serious injuries.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident, and beaches in the area may be subject to additional monitoring.

Police are now reviewing footage from the couple’s GoPro.

Officers said the vision shows the woman swimming with dolphins, but it is not yet clear whether the shark attack was captured on camera.