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A woman was killed after being attacked by an 8-foot alligator while walking her dog on South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island on Monday morning, according to officials.
The unidentified woman was in the neighborhood of Sea Pines Plantation when the animal attacked, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Witnesses said the woman was pulled under the water by the alligator. Fire personnel were able to recover the woman’s body.
The Sheriff’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Sea Pines Security are currently hunting for the alligator, according to the statement.
Sea Pines Community Services Associates said in a statement that they are cooperating with the authorities.
“At this time, little information is available about the individual or incident. We are extremely saddened by this news and will share information with the community as it is made available,” Sea Pines CSA said in a statement.
The woman’s dog was not harmed in the attack.