Swiss Woman, 26, Killed in Shark Attack in Australia Had Just Launched Dream Life with Boyfriend
Woolgoolga, Australia – Tragic details are emerging about the life of Livia Mühlheim, a 26-year-old Swiss woman who died in a shark attack at Woolgoolga beach on Australia’s New South Wales coast on Friday. Mühlheim, a former synchronized swimmer and recent finance graduate, had recently relocated too Australia with her boyfriend, marathon runner Lukas Schindler, to begin a new chapter in their lives.
The couple’s idyllic new beginning was brutally cut short when Mühlheim was attacked while swimming. Schindler desperately attempted to save her, but was unsuccessful. Her death marks the fifth fatal shark attack in Australia this year, raising renewed concerns about safety in Australian waters.
Mühlheim was a member of Swiss club Swim Regio Solothurn, who paid tribute to her in a heartfelt statement last week. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Livia Mühlheim, former artistic swimmer and active judge,” the statement read. “She died in Australia – in her beloved element, the water. On behalf of the club, we express our sincere condolences to the family.”
The young woman had completed her master’s degree in Accounting and Finance at the University of St Gallen, Switzerland, and had recently been hired by a financial consulting firm in 2024. She was described as a keen runner in addition to her background in synchronized swimming.
This tragedy follows the fatal shark attack on Mercury Psillakis, 57, at Dee Why Beach, approximately 300km south of Woolgoolga, in September – less than three months prior to Mühlheim’s death. Another fatal attack occurred in Sydney’s northern beaches earlier this year.
Authorities are preparing a report for the coroner as the investigation continues.
