A young German woman died Wednesday, seven days after a shark attack that severed her right arm in the ocean off Maui.

It was the first shark attack fatality in Hawaii since 2004.

Jana Lutteropp, 20, who was bitten while snorkeling Aug. 14 about 50 yards off White Rock Beach, died at Maui Memorial Medical Center. She had been on life support.

“We appreciate all the support from the Maui community, as well as the prayers and thoughts from around the world and in Germany,” the woman’s mother, Jutta Lutteropp, and her sister, Julia Broeske, said in a joint statement.

“Jana fought hard to stay alive. However, we are sad to say that she lost her fight today. Jana was a very beautiful, strong young woman who was always laughing, and we will forever remember her that way.”

State Land Board Chairman William Aila offered his sympathies.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of Ms. Jana Lutteropp’s passing today,” Aila said. “We join with Hawaii’s people to extend our deepest sympathy to her family and friends. As an island state, we are aware that we are all visitors in the natural environment that surrounds us, and that unfortunate incidents such as this one can occur.”

It is not known what kind of shark bit Lutteropp. State officials investigating the attack said no one saw the animal.

A high school teacher from California jumped into the ocean after hearing Lutteropp scream and seeing blood in the surf. Rick Moore, 57, of Laguna Niguel, Calif., said Lutteropp went in and out of consciousness and kept repeating that she was going to die.

After the attack, Moore’s friend Nicholas Grisaffi stood in neck-high water and took Lutteropp from Moore, carrying her limp body out of the water. They said Wednesday they had been praying for her.

“I was really hoping it would be a miracle and she would pull through,” Moore said.

Grisaffi said he’s been replaying the ordeal in his mind.

“Rick risked his life,” said Grisaffi, 61, of Laguna Beach, Calif. “Did I do enough? Should I have grabbed my fins and swam out with him?”

Joshua Craddock, who was sunbathing on the beach when the attack occurred and called 911 for help, offered his condolences to the family.

“It’s seriously tragic,” Craddock said. “I can’t imagine the pain they’ve been going through.”

When Lutteropp was brought to the beach with help from rescuers, Craddock said, a person with her was shouting words of encouragement, trying to keep her from passing out.

The last fatal shark attack in Hawaii occurred in April 2004 off Pohaku Park in West Maui. Willis McInnis, 57, a surfer from Napili, died after he was bitten on the leg by a tiger shark. McInnis suffered severe blood loss and died on the shore despite the efforts of beach-goers, police and paramedics.
State officials say shark attacks are rare here, but Maui appears to be experiencing a jump in the number of incidents.

According to the state, 10 confirmed shark incidents occurred in 2012, compared with eight this year — including four on Maui.

Aila said this week that the state would begin a two-year study, first reported in the Star-Advertiser Aug. 4, to examine the movements of sharks in Maui waters.

“We are committed to furthering research efforts that will help guide effective management actions in the interest of safety,” Aila said.

Earlier this week Aila said his department maintains that conducting shark hunts is wasteful and ineffective, based on studies showing that sharks move quickly in and out of coastal areas and are far-ranging.

The state will post shark warning signs in certain areas if the two-year study shows an area seems to have a preponderance of sharks, he said.

An area of Olowalu in West Maui is the only place in the state with shark warning signs, which went up after two visitors were bitten there  in a two-year period in the early 2000s. Also, Maui resident Martha Morrell was killed by a tiger shark while swimming near her Olowalu residence in 1991.

Worldwide, there were seven deaths resulting from shark attacks in 2012, including one in California, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida.

Craddock said he enjoys sunbathing at White Rock, where Lutteropp was attacked, because it is usually quiet.

He said he feels the attack was a rare occurrence and plans to continue going into the ocean for recreation.

“We have to be aware we’re of the land,” he said. “In the ocean, we’re not top dog anymore. It’s like walking through an African savannah. You’ve got to be aware of a lot of things.”

In their statement, Lutteropp’s family also offered thanks to the “wonderful caregivers and everyone at Maui Memorial Medical Center,” and requested that any donations be made to the Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation in her memory.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.